Queensland has been hit hard by a sudden and “alarming” surge in flu cases, with the number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in hospitals surpassing it for the first time this year.
Health officials confirmed they are sending letters to schools and vaccine providers across the state urging people to get vaccinated in an effort to reduce the rising number of infections.
Last week, 1,521 children attending Queensland schools tested positive for the flu.
There were 630 additional cases in preschool children and 644 cases in Queenslanders aged 65 and over.
Chief Health Officer Catherine McDougall said for the first time this year there were more flu patients in the province's hospitals than COVID-19 patients.
She said more than 80 percent of patients hospitalized with flu across all age groups were unvaccinated.
Dr. MacDougall said letters are being sent to schools and vaccine service providers urging people to get vaccinated, urging them that it is not too late to get vaccinated.
The surge in flu cases in northern states has been driven by a sudden outbreak of a dangerous strain of the disease in Victoria, with infections expected to rise in the coming days.
Victoria has recorded 22 confirmed cases of the disease and six suspected cases over the past three days.
Most cases occurred in adults over 40 years of age, many of whom required hospitalization and intensive care for severe pneumonia.
The cause of this disease is still unknown.
Victoria's chief health officer Claire Rooker said case numbers were expected to “head north” as more cases were admitted to hospital after Friday.
“Legionella pneumonia is a terrible type of pneumonia,” Dr. Luker told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
“People who have visited or live in the Melbourne metropolitan area and develop symptoms of the disease should seek medical attention.”
The disease spreads through tiny droplets containing Legionella bacteria.
Symptoms can appear up to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria, which are found in potting mix and soil, and often multiply in bagged potting mix, mulch, and other products.
Legionnaires' disease is not spread from person to person, nor is it spread by drinking contaminated water.
Despite the outbreak in Victoria, no cases of the disease have yet been recorded in Queensland.
