Cases of whooping cough, flu and gastroenteritis have increased, with young children particularly affected by the wave of illnesses that is putting “unprecedented” pressure on some hospitals.
The winter peak has not yet been reached in northern Australia, an area popular with holidaymakers, prompting a leading GP to urge everyone to get a flu shot.
More than 170,000 cases of influenza have been confirmed so far in 2024, 29% of them in children under nine years of age.
Infections in 2024 are already 27 percent higher than in the first six months of 2023.
These figures do not give a complete picture as many people are not getting tested, according to the rural chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Michael Clements.
He said cases are likely to rise as the winter peak of the virus hits warmer areas in August and September.
“We’re certainly concerned that this will continue to escalate and potentially overwhelm hospital systems,” the Townsville GP told AAP.
His comments echo those of NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, who reported “unprecedented” demand on his state’s emergency departments due to a 30 per cent rise in flu cases, combined with fewer GPs working in the community.
Victoria’s health department warns that flu vaccine coverage remains “low” across all age groups, including children, despite a six-fold increase in emergency department presentations due to flu between April and June.
Doctors and health authorities urge the population to get vaccinated in the face of the increase in infectious diseases in winter
Dr Clements said COVID-19 infections may have reduced immunity to influenza and herd immunity in the population.
He also cited increased international travel and people going to work while sick (two factors that were greatly reduced during Covid lockdowns) as factors spreading the disease.
Cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels and have reached more than 12,900 so far in 2024, four times the total number of infections in 2023.
More than 60 per cent of cases have been in children under 14, and the NSW Department of Health is warning of “abnormally high” whooping cough and pneumonia infections in school-aged children.
It can be fatal for babies; Dr. Clements noted that many infants and adult patients with whooping cough have also tested positive for several other viruses at the same time, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or COVID-19.
“These are peaks, and we certainly have to acknowledge that they are large increases compared to recent years,” he said.
“What is difficult to know is how to interpret it, that is, whether or not we are simply interpreting a return to normal behavior after COVID.”
Winter illnesses are back with a vengeance and doctors are worried about an “explosion” of the disease
Cases of a particular strain of gastroenteritis have also tripled the 2023 total, reaching more than 11,700.
Cryptosporidiosis is transmitted by a parasite present in some swimming pools, and anyone who develops symptoms is advised to stay out of the water for at least four weeks as they could still be shedding the virus, which can survive chlorine.
Dr. Clements is concerned about what he described as a “massive explosion” of preventable diseases and said he has noticed fewer campaigns from the federal government encouraging people to get vaccinated.
“We can’t look into a crystal ball and say whether we’re at the top now or whether we’ll have another one,” he said.
“It is never too late to get vaccinated”
