NHS leaders have warned the country is facing a “tripledemic” threat of COVID, flu and a record demand on urgent and emergency services amid pressures on staffing.
NHS leaders have warned the country is facing a “tripledemic” threat of COVID, flu and a record demand on urgent and emergency services amid pressures on staffing.
What are the symptoms of flu?
Influenza symptoms include a high temperature, headache, tiredness and a dry, chesty cough, along with cold-like symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat.
Unlike the common cold, symptoms tend to begin more suddenly and are more severe and longer lasting.
How flu cases in Australia inform the northern hemisphere
Experts typically monitor flu cases during winter in Australia and New Zealand in order to inform predictions about the impact the virus will have when winter reaches the UK.
This year, Australia saw a rapid rise in flu cases, which started earlier than usual and reached record-high numbers.
The majority of flu cases in Australia were due to influenza A, according to the Australian health department, which is known to cause more severe epidemics.
New Zealand also saw its highest flu rates compared to the last two years.
