AN outbreak of so-called ‘Aussie Flu’ has struck down more than one thousand Brits in the past week.
Government statistics show 1,111 people were infected with the virus – a 156 per cent jump on the previous seven days.
The sharp rise in cases, released by Public Health England, has been triggered by a surge in two aggressive sub-types of flu.
One includes the so-called ‘Aussie flu’, a strain of influenza A which wreaked havoc on hospitals in Australia during the country’s winter.
The H3N2 subtype triggered two and a half times the normal number of cases in Australia.
Britain’s flu season tends to mirror what has happened there.
Experts fear the virulent flu strain, which has now reached the UK, could prove as deadly as the Hong Kong flu in 1968, which killed one million people.
Usually, just one subtype, either influenza A or B, is responsible for the majority of cases. It spreads much easier in the cold weather.
However, last week 522 cases of type A and 546 cases of type B were recorded across England and Wales – with 43 cases yet to be identified.
So far this winter, 23 people have died from the outbreak and nearly a third occurred last week.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF 'AUSSIE FLU'
Symptoms of Aussie flu are similar to those caused by normal flu, but they are more severe. Here are some signs to look out for:
- Sore throat and cough
- Headache
- Fever
- Muscle ache
- Fatigue
- Runny nose and sneezing
People should recover from normal flu within a week so, although the cough and fatigue may last longer.
So if you’re still really ill after seven days, it’s a good indication of something more serious.
Aussie flu can lead to pneumonia and other potentially fatal complications.
Those most at risk are the over 65s, pregnant women, young kids and those with chronic conditions – like diabetes, lung and heart disease.
Nick Phin, of Public Health England, said: “Flu activity, as measured by a number of different systems, has continued to increase in the last week or two.
“This is to be expected as the season progresses and at this point the numbers are in-keeping with previous years.
“The circulating flu strains match those in the current flu vaccine, so the vaccine remains the best defence against the virus.”
Experts warned to expect the worst outbreak in 50 years back in September as the NHS urged all eligible Brits to get the free flu jab – but admitted it was too late to tweak the strains in their stockpile.
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Professor Dingall told the Daily Express that this is the most serious flu epidemic since the 1968 pandemic that started in Hong Kong – and killed a million people worldwide.
H3N2 is a mutated strain of flu, meaning the vaccine in Australia has been less effective than hoped.
Those most at risk are the over 65s, pregnant women, young kids and those with chronic conditions – like diabetes, lung and heart disease.
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