2017 australian flu season

The flu season for this year, for 2018, in australia has been very mild, says kanta subbarao, a virologist and physician in melbourne who is director of the world health organization who collaborating center for reference and research on influenza. There was some variation across the country, with western australia not experiencing levels of influenza as high as the rest of australia. A human cell infected with the h3n2 flu virus, responsible for. The niss coordinates information during flu season from a number of sources, with a focus on understanding and reporting severity of disease, virology and incidence. Professor booy said most years, 12 australian children died from the flu. Australias immunisation coalition reported 168,337 influenza cases so far in 2017. Flu activity levels are also higher than they were around this time of year during the brutal 20172018 flu season which turned out to be one of the worst on record.

Jan 08, 2018 australias 2017 flu season was the worst the country had experienced in nearly a decade. Australia s last bad flu season was in 2017, which saw more than 229,000 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza reported by the end of october. Sep 26, 2018 health officials are renewing calls for vaccination after 2017, one of the deadliest flu seasons in recent memory. Jun 21, 2019 the australian flu season started and possibly peaked early. In 2017, australia had a horror flu season, with nearly 1100 people dying and hundreds of thousands falling ill. Aug 03, 2017 australias winter flu outbreak spikes early in season. Sep 21, 2017 australia is suffering through one of its worst flu seasons in recent years, health officials there say. That includes the brutal 2017 2018 flu season, which turned out to be one of the worst on record with 145.

Sue dunlevy news corp australia network august 15, 2017. Jun 20, 2019 t he 20182019 flu season may not have been as severe as the one that came before it, but it set a record of its own, the centers for disease control and prevention cdc say. A severe influenza season is continuing in australia as of september, but with decreasing flu activity reported nationally towards the end of august and early september. Among those vaccinated, 33% were effectively protected, though rates. The 20172018 flu season was severe for all us populations and resulted in an estimated 959,000 hospitalizations and 61,099 deaths.

In some states the flu season appears to be over, but the number of people being diagnosed in the eastern. Professor pilcher said the next step of the research was to examine if the horror influenza outbreak led to a higher death rate in intensive care units overall, as staff were forced to cope with the rush of very sick patients. The aisr aims to increase awareness of influenza activity in australia by providing an analysis of the various surveillance data sources throughout australia. The australian influenza season in 2017 began earlier than 2016, with higher notifications compared to the average observed since early june. In the month of may beginning of the season and august peak, the ratio of number of notifications were 2. The flu season in australia has started early, prompting some alarming headlines. Influenza has been documented since january interseasonal period, with the season beginning in may and a rapid rise in cases in early june 2017. Sep 24, 2019 those numbers might seem low for the us, which saw an estimated 48. In 2017, influenza seasonal activity was high in the southern hemisphere. The flu has killed more than 220 people and infected more than 100,000 across australia this year, with authorities warning the peak of the flu season is yet to come. But it is too soon to say whether 2019 will truly prove a horror season, as some press reports have it, or simply a typical year shifted in time by several weeks.

Sep 12, 2017 nhs fears the worst flu season in history. Flu notifications in south australia are at a sixyear high, with a total of 6203 cases so far this year compared to just 47 cases at the same time last year. It is one of the worst seasons in two decades, second only to the flu epidemic of 2017. We present interim influenza vaccine effectiveness ve estimates from australia. Canadian data show low flu vaccine protection against h3n2. As australia battled a tough 2017 flu season, led by h3n2, researchers in late october reported interim flu ve at 33% overall, which is low, but protection against h3n2 was even lower, at 10%. Australian influenza surveillance report and activity updates 2017. The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemisphere. Australian influenza surveillance report 2017 season summary key messages. The influenza a virus known as h3n2 was the most common strain in australia this past flu season. Nationally, the 2017 influenza season was the largest since the 2009 pandemic year. In some states the flu season appears to be over, but the number of. Australia prepares for 2018 flu season the new daily. The united states centers for disease control and prevention cdc began counting the 20172018 flu season as october 2017, and by early february 2018, the epidemic was still widespread and increasing overall.

In australia, there were two groups of h3n2 viruses circulating, and the vaccine was projected to protect against the minority of. The australian influenza surveillance report is published on a fortnightly basis during the influenza season, typically between may and october. Feb 02, 2018 flu infections are widespread across the northern hemisphere, yet experts say the current season, though severe in many regions, is overall unremarkable. Influenza activity updates may be published outside of the seasonal period. Experts are waiting to see if similar will happen in the uk, after a recent rise in cases. Australias flu season gives hints for our own aarp. Nov 02, 2017 australia has recorded 221,853 flu infections so far in 2017, more than any other year. Deadly flu season has researchers racing to find out why. Australia is suffering through one of its worst flu seasons in recent years, health officials there say. People who are at high risk of serious flu illness should take flu antiviral drugs quickly if they get sick. Flu activity picks up in georgia as death toll rises. Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of outbreaks of influenza flu. Less than 10 percent of australian children get flu vaccinations, according to the national center for immunization research and surveillance.

In 2017, approximately two thirds of deaths due to influenza 806 deaths were certified with an identified. Experts warned that if h3n2 dominated the northern hemispheres flu season, the vaccine might not provide much protection. Oct 04, 2019 in 2017, a terrible flu season in australia presaged an american outbreak in which 79,000 died. Those numbers might seem low for the us, which saw an estimated 48. How does the wuhan coronavirus compare to seasonal flu. What australias bad flu season means for europe, north.

We have just passed the halfway point of the 2017 18 flu season, and if you are watching the news, you could get the impression that things are pretty bad. The results published suggest that the current flu vaccine will work better during the 2018 u. Sep 22, 2019 australias last bad flu season was in 2017, which saw more than 229,000 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza reported by the end of october. During the 2017 2018 season, influenzalikeillness ili activity began to increase in november, reaching an extended period of high activity during january and february nationally, and remained elevated through the end of march. Australia is in the grip of the worst flu outbreak on record and experts are urging people to have a flu vaccine now before its too late. Part of the reason for that, she says, is that the strain known as h1n1 has predominated. Australias current flu season was dominated by the h3n2 strain, as was the 2017 season in both countries. Now is the time for american to get their shots and brace for a really bad influenza season.

T he 20182019 flu season may not have been as severe as the one that came before it, but it set a record of its own, the centers for disease control and prevention cdc say. The 2019 flu season will suck for america just ask australia australians are sneezing and coughing and getting hospitalized. Health officials are renewing calls for vaccination after 2017, one of the deadliest flu seasons in recent memory. This flu season, over 25 million people in england will be offered a jab on the nhs, with all primary schoolaged children offered a nasal spray equivalent for the first time. Australian influenza surveillance report and activity. In australia, there were two groups of h3n2 viruses circulating, and the vaccine was projected to protect against the minority of viruses but not the majority viruses. Aug 18, 2019 it is one of the worst seasons in two decades, second only to the flu epidemic of 2017.

Heres why this could be the biggest australian flu season. Australias last bad flu season was in 2017, which saw more than 229,000 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza reported by the end of october. This is the highest number of patient claims since the 2009 flu season. Why australia wasnt ready for a dangerous flu season. Australias 2018 flu season mild so far compared to 2017. The australian flu season started and possibly peaked early. Faq on what people need to know about flu, for the 2016. Research published in the new england journal of medicine on thursday, coauthored by professor pilcher, revealed that last years flu season was the deadliest experienced by australian and new. Australia flu season bad, what does that mean for the us. Australia hit by worst flu outbreak on record in 2017.

Cases of flulike illness reported by the gp surveillance system began rising around the end of march, about two months earlier than over the. Aug 15, 2017 flu notifications in south australia are at a sixyear high, with a total of 6203 cases so far this year compared to just 47 cases at the same time last year. Adjusted ve was low overall at 33% 95% confidence interval ci. Sep 18, 2019 the 2019 flu season will suck for america just ask australia australians are sneezing and coughing and getting hospitalized.

Australias winter flu outbreak spikes early in season. Flu infections are widespread across the northern hemisphere, yet experts say the current season, though severe in many regions, is overall unremarkable. That includes the brutal 20172018 flu season, which turned out to be one of the worst on record with 145. Influenza activity updates will be published outside of the seasonal period. Will it finish earlier, or plateau in a sustained way bringing a longer season. Flu levels are much higher than around this time during the previous two flu seasons. What australias bad flu season might mean for us and other flu facts you need to know shari rudavsky, indystar published 6. Aug 14, 2018 the flu season for this year, for 2018, in australia has been very mild, says kanta subbarao, a virologist and physician in melbourne who is director of the world health organization who collaborating center for reference and research on influenza. Meanwhile, flu numbers in new zealand and elsewhere in the pacific have not matched the same elevated levels. If we had a high rate of immunity in kids, it would also stop the spread of the flu to susceptible adults, he said. Mar 23, 2018 in 2017, australia had a horror flu season, with nearly 1100 people dying and hundreds of thousands falling ill. The 2017 flu season put enormous strain on australias public hospitals, some cancelling elective surgeries. Scientists have predicted which h3n2 variants would become vaccine resistant, and this prediction has been confirmed during the 2017 australian.

No one predicted the huge 2017 season, in which we. In one study of the 2017 flu season a paltry 27 % of australians were vaccinated 73 % werent, including just 6% of children. Everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine each season. Australia on track for killer flu season as experts urge. In 2017, a terrible flu season in australia presaged an american outbreak in which 79,000 died. Influenza activity can sometimes be predicted and even tracked geographically. Alamy stock photo laura donnelly, health editor 12 september 2017 12. Sep 03, 2017 australia is having a worse flu season than usual this year, with 93,711 laboratoryconfirmed cases as of august 18, almost 2. Australian influenza surveillance report and activity updates. The australian influenza surveillance report aisr is published on a fortnightly basis during the influenza season, typically between may and october.

As the flu season comes to an end, were beginning to understand why it was so bad. During the 20172018 season, influenzalikeillness ili activity began to increase in november, reaching an extended period of high activity during january and february nationally, and remained elevated through the end of march. Australias 2017 flu season was the worst the country had experienced in nearly a decade. We have just passed the halfway point of the 201718 flu season, and if you are watching the news, you could get the impression that things are pretty bad. Laboratory confirmed influenza is a notifiable disease in australia.

Why australia wasnt ready for a dangerous flu season the. Early signs of the flu can include cough, sore throat, sinusitis or fever. Sep 14, 2017 bad flu season in australia not a good sign for u. Flu season in 2017 the deadliest since records began. H3n2, which emerged for the first time in the 1968 hong kong flu pandemic, tends to. The flu season typically peaks in august, but laboratoryconfirmed cases of influenza have been higher than usual so far this year as have calls about flurelated symptoms to the healthdirect helpline. Australian influenza surveillance report 2017 season summary.