Winter may be long gone and summer just around the corner, but the flu season is dragging on with all states continuing to record cases.
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According to the Immunisation Coalition there have been 266,269 laboratory confirmed influenza cases in the year to November 10.
NSW led the case numbers with 96,648, followed by Queensland 69,527, Victoria 50,518, SA: 20,058, WA: 20,078, ACT 3646 Tasmania 3341 and Northern Territory 2453.
These are only those cases confirmed by a laboratory, actual numbers will be much higher as many people do not seek medical help when they think they have the flu, so don't get tested.
However, Australian Immunisation Register data has shown almost 1.8 million fewer people across the country had their flu jab this year, compared to the 11 million people who rolled up their sleeves in 2022.
The continuing flu season and lower rates of vaccination compared to last year has prompted Diabetes Australia to urge people living with diabetes particularly in rural and remote areas to get their flu shot.
"It's not too late to vaccinate, and the flu vaccine is free for people living with diabetes," said Diabetes Australia Group chief executive Justine Cain.
"There are still flu vaccines available."
Ms Cain said people with diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalised with influenza and in addition to the risk of serious illness and hospitalisation, the flu can make it much harder to manage diabetes.
"It can be more challenging to detect changes in blood glucose levels and also to eat, drink and take medication if you have the flu," she said.
According to Diabetes Australia if this happens, blood sugar levels can go up and down unpredictably, dragging out the effects of the flu and increasing the risk of serious complications like pneumonia.
Being unwell can also cause the body to make more stress hormones, which can also raise blood glucose levels and because diabetes can impair the immune system and affect the body's ability to fight the flu, it puts people living with diabetes at greater risk of needing to go to hospital.
"This is why we are strongly encouraging people with diabetes to get the flu vaccine," Ms Cain said.
The influenza vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program for:
- People aged six months or over who have medical condition, including diabetes.
- People aged 65 years or over.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months and over
- Children aged six months to under five years
- Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
Eileen Wood
I'm a senior news journalist at The Senior newspaper, the leading publication bringing targeted news on issues affecting older Australians. We cover NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and WA. If you have a story idea I would love to hear it. You can email me: eileen.wood@thesenior.com.au or phone The Senior 02-4355-5000, mob. 0487 495 805
I'm a senior news journalist at The Senior newspaper, the leading publication bringing targeted news on issues affecting older Australians. We cover NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and WA. If you have a story idea I would love to hear it. You can email me: eileen.wood@thesenior.com.au or phone The Senior 02-4355-5000, mob. 0487 495 805
