North Queensland doctors are urging the community to stay alert as an unusual summer spike in flu cases sweeps across the state. More than 1,400 cases have already been reported to Queensland Health in the first two weeks of the year, a number far higher than what’s normally seen outside winter. Cairns Hospital and Health Service alone recorded 96 cases last week, adding pressure to an already busy health system.
Public health physician Dr Steven Donohue says the surge is being driven by a new influenza strain circulating globally, contributing to what he describes as an abnormally high outbreak for this time of year. He says many people aren’t expecting flu in the middle of summer, which means fewer are vaccinated and symptoms are more likely to be dismissed as a minor seasonal bug.
Doctors are encouraging locals to take the rise seriously, stay home if unwell, and be mindful of vulnerable people in the community as the flu continues to spread through the region.
