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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Australia : Flu cases up seven-fold this year

Via The Morning Bulletin, excerpt :

" IF you think you and your family have been getting sick more often this flu season, you are right.

The number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases has increased almost seven-fold this year.

A Queensland Health spokeswoman said the number of flu cases in Central Queensland and Central West districts had reached 306 by August 8.

It’s a dramatic increase compared to the number of cases for the same period last year which was 45.

That figure is only the number of laboratory-confirmed cases.

The spokeswoman said for the past five years for that period, the districts had averaged 161 flu cases, including the pandemic in 2009.

The Central Queensland News reported on August 3 that employers were penalising staff who took time off work when they were diagnosed with the flu.

“Most people we’re seeing with this flu are between 15 and 35 and there have been some very sick people requiring admission to hospital,” one Emerald GP told Central Queensland News.

“A recurring theme is employers demanding their sick workers come to work and run the risk of infecting others."

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