Queensland has been hit by a sudden and “alarming” surge in flu cases – outnumbering those diagnosed with Covid-19 in hospitals for the first time this year.
Health authorities have confirmed that letters are being sent to schools and vaccine providers across the state urging them to get vaccinated in a bid to tackle rising numbers.
There were 1,521 confirmed cases of flu in school-age children in Queensland last week.
There were a further 630 cases in pre-school children and 644 cases in Queenslanders aged over 65.
Chief Medical Officer Catherine MacDougall said that for the first time this year, public hospitals had more flu patients than Covid-19.
She said more than 80 percent of hospital admissions for the flu in all age groups were patients who had not been vaccinated.
Vaccination letters are being sent out to schools and vaccination service providers urging them to get vaccinated before it's too late, Dr McDougal said.
The flurry of flu cases in the northern state is on top of a sudden outbreak of the dangerous Legionnaires' disease in Victoria, which is predicted to increase in the coming days.
In the past three days, Victoria has recorded 22 cases of Legionnaires' disease, as well as six more suspected cases.
Most cases occur in adults over the age of 40, many requiring hospitalization and intensive care for severe pneumonia.
The source of the outbreak has not been established.
Victoria's Chief Medical Officer Claire Lucker said the number of cases was expected to “increase northward” after more cases were admitted to the hospital since Friday.
“Legionnaires is a nasty type of pneumonia,” Dr Luker told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“People should be aware if they have visited or live anywhere in metropolitan Melbourne and develop symptoms of Legionnaires' disease … to seek medical attention.”
The disease is spread through small droplets of water containing legionella bacteria.
Symptoms can develop within 10 days of exposure to the bacteria, which are found in potting mix and soil and often multiply in potting mix, mulch and other products.
Legionnaires' disease cannot be transmitted from person to person or by drinking contaminated water.
Queensland has not reported a single case of the disease, despite an outbreak in Victoria.
