Special distance rules and the obligation to wear a mask prevented the spread. But now the authorities in Australia are reporting a strong wave of flu in many parts of the country as part of the easing. Winter is just beginning in the southern hemisphere – and the early and violent outbreak could portend what to expect in Europe during the cold season.
From January to November 2021, just 598 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were reported Down Under, according to figures from the Australian Department of Health. From January to May 22, 2022 there were already more than 38,700 cases. More than 26,000 of these were recorded between May 9th and 22nd – showing how steeply the curve is rising.
The eastern states of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are particularly badly affected. All three regions announced free flu vaccinations so that as many citizens as possible can be immunized.
“The flu season this year is very bad and comparable to what we had in 2017,” said Queensland Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk. “We need to respond now with a pre-emptive strike and make sure we take preventive action.”
The 2017 flu epidemic was particularly severe: more than 1,200 people died from the virus in Australia at the time. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the worst flu epidemic in decades was also rampant in Germany in 2017/2018. It is estimated that around 25,000 people died.
In Austria, the 2016/17 flu season also claimed many victims, with 4,400 influenza-associated deaths. In 2017/18 there were 2,900 flu deaths in Germany, in 2018/19 around 1,400 and in 2019/20 834 people died in this context. In 2021, Austria – like many other countries – was spared at least one wave of influenza for the first time in decades thanks to the Covid 19 measures, and there was no influenza in 2022 either.
Source: Nachrichten
