A widespread spike in influenza A cases across the state is putting new stress on rural and regional health workers.
Rural doctors say hospitals and health workers remain under pressure despite the outbreak having peaked earlier in the month.
'Flu can still be deadly'
Queensland Health flu figures show the health service in the state's north west — which includes Mount Isa, Doomadgee and much of the Northern Territory border — has recorded 12 times more flu cases than its five-year average.
By this time in an average year there would have been 45 confirmed flu cases. This year there have been 549.
Queensland chief health officer John Gerrard last week said the wave of influenza had "clearly peaked" and numbers were declining.
But Rural Doctors Association of Queensland president Matt Masel said the numbers showed the scale of the challenge.
"When something is 10 times the previous averages, that's really hard to plan for," Dr Masel said.
He said while COVID-19 remained the larger threat to health in Queensland, some of those who had been sick with both viruses reported the flu hitting them harder than coronavirus.
He said the flu could be deadly for younger, older and vulnerable people.
"What we see with those people is significant lung impacts, difficulty breathing, needing to be in hospital on oxygen and other medication, the development of complications like pneumonia and sepsis generally, and it is life-threatening," Dr Masel said.
"We are seeing people dying."
Big flu numbers a 'double whammy'
While the north west region recorded the biggest spike in flu cases, the regions that fared best against the flu this season — Cairns and Townsville — still recorded more than double their usual figures.
The Darling Downs, Gold Coast, and Torres Strait have recorded between four and five times their average flu cases.
The central west health service, which includes the outback towns of Longreach and Winton, recorded 98 cases instead of its usual 20.
Dr Masel said while the huge impact of COVID-19 variants was still the major concern for health workers, the surge in flu cases created "extra heat" for staff.
"It's a real double whammy," he said.
Hospital and Health Service |
This week (Jul 11-17) |
Last week (Jul 4-10) |
2022 total so far |
Five-year average for year-to-date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cairns and hinterland |
7 |
13 |
1,465 |
631 |
Central Queensland |
45 |
70 |
1,144 |
310 |
Central West |
1 |
13 |
98 |
21 |
Darling Downs |
125 |
161 |
2,243 |
499 |
Gold Coast |
138 |
191 |
4,314 |
1,020 |
Mackay |
33 |
51 |
1,089 |
281 |
Metro North |
249 |
432 |
7,164 |
2,337 |
Metro South |
295 |
435 |
9,173 |
2,357 |
North West |
10 |
23 |
549 |
45 |
Sunshine Coast |
84 |
95 |
1,650 |
801 |
Torres and Cape |
2 |
1 |
492 |
117 |
Townsville |
37 |
36 |
1,976 |
787 |
West Moreton |
103 |
166 |
2,663 |
593 |
South West |
25 |
25 |
343 |
45 |
Queensland total |
1,229 |
1,792 |
35,180 |
10,171 |
The bad winter they saw coming
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath was on the Sunshine Coast this week, where flu cases have topped 1,600 — about double an average year.
"We said we expected a bad winter, we have not seen influenza A in this state for five years," Ms D'Ath said.
"And even then, we didn't have it at the rate that we do now."
She said the flu and COVID were putting pressure on hospitals while also leaving staff too sick to work.
End in sight
Department of Health data shows the number of flu cases reached about 30,000 a week in mid-June and dropped sharply to about 15,000 a week early in July.
University of Sydney infectious diseases expert Robert Booy said the flu had peaked earlier on a national level due to the reopening of borders and relaxing of social distancing measures.
"We've had a major surge of influenza, which we haven't seen for two years, and so that surge has been earlier and bigger," Professor Booy said.
World Health Organisation Australian centre for influenza research deputy director Ian Barr said the flu season was not uniform across the country.
Professor Barr said there was the potential for an "unusual dual peak" if the virus got a hold in schools.
"We really need to wait a couple of weeks until schools are back across Australia and just see whether the numbers tick up again," he said.
"We know that school-aged kiddies are very good at spreading respiratory viruses."
Clinic closures loom
A lack of workers has already forced Gladstone to put its maternity unit on "bypass", meaning that expectant mothers were travelling 100km north to Rockhampton to give birth.
Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine president Sarah Chalmers said the situation Gladstone mothers faced was regularly endured in rural and remote areas.
She warned that if staff shortages could force the temporary closure of a critical health unit in Gladstone, any regional centre could face the same.
Queenslanders asked to pitch in
Ms D'Ath said Queensland was not the only state with pressure on its health services from influenza and COVID cases.
She encouraged people to stay safe by wearing masks and social distancing.
"If it's not COVID, it very well could be influenza and you will be spreading it to your friends, to your families, your loved ones, and your work colleagues," she said.
"You can do your bit to reduce the spread of viruses around the community right now by not going to work and staying home when you are unwell."
