Killer flu season starts weeks early in WA

FLU season has come eight weeks earlier than usual in Western Australia but it remains to be seen whether it will become the worst.

The WA Health Department reported earlier this week that 10 people had died from flu-related illness this year, compared to four at the same time last year.

Acting director of communicable disease control directorate Paul Effler said vaccination supplies were tight but urged people to get the flu shot, saying the illness could be a “killer”.

“There are indications that it’s been quite severe (already), but the number of hospital admissions for influenza confirmed cases is not that high yet,” he told reporters on Friday.

“It would be premature to say this is the worst flu season we’ve had.”

Last year, there were 460,000 flu shot doses distributed in WA and this year there are 660,000 doses available.

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