Covid-19 and flu infections on the rise in Canberra

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Canberrans are being urged to adopt pandemic-like practices amid a sharp rise in Covid-19 influenza and other respiratory-related illnesses. The spike has prompted the city's public hospitals to impose new restrictions on both patients and visitors. But health authorities say there's no cause for alarm.

Transcript

00:00 Just four days into winter and some Canberrans are already doing their bit to keep from getting

00:08 sick.

00:09 I'm just isolating and wearing a mask to try and keep safe.

00:12 We're not so much doing the embracing and the kissing and the hand shaking, I've noticed

00:18 that.

00:19 I'm staying inside more during the winter so you're not going out with more people,

00:23 you know.

00:24 With good reason.

00:25 The ABCT health data paints a worrying picture. The first week of April saw just 13 patients

00:31 with COVID-19 in Canberra's hospitals. Last week that number had increased fivefold.

00:37 For the broader population, the spike has been even sharper. From 42 PCR confirmed cases

00:43 to 242 in 10 weeks.

00:47 The reality is, although the intense period of the pandemic is gone, COVID is here to

00:52 stay so instead of taking over, it's going to join in all the fun with the other winter

00:58 viruses every year.

01:00 The latest strain is more infectious than previous strains, but not more severe.

01:06 The rapid rise in cases prompted North Canberra Hospital to up its risk level from green to

01:11 amber late last week. Today TCH followed suit.

01:16 That means masks are now mandatory, all unexpected admissions are PCR tested and visitor numbers

01:22 have been reduced.

01:23 We know what can happen if we don't take precautions, that systems can get overwhelmed, so we're

01:29 getting in early.

01:30 Dr Kerry Ost says this year brought an early start to the cold and flu season.

01:35 So we started seeing early cases of influenza, a lot of RSV and a surprising increase in

01:43 atypical pneumonias like mycoplasma pneumoniae over the last month.

01:47 Her advice to Canberrans will feel eerily familiar. Practice good hygiene, stay home

01:53 if unwell, wear a mask in confined public spaces and keep vaccinations up to date.

01:59 I think we approach with caution, so protect ourselves, protect the vulnerable people around

02:05 us.

02:06 Simple instructions Canberrans are well versed at following.

02:09 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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