The ACT is on track for a record number of flu cases this year. GPs say it's been a particularly busy winter while this year's flu strains are causing significant fatigue.
00:00Canberrans are prepared for the cold but this winter chill has left many feeling under the weather.
00:07In recent weeks GPs have experienced a large spike in flu cases.
00:12Their book on day and emergency appointments are generally being taken up with either influenza-like illnesses and RSV this year.
00:20At this point last year the ACT had recorded two and a half thousand cases of the flu.
00:26Already this year there have been more than 4,000 cases closing in on the record number of cases for a year.
00:33Doctors say the high numbers don't reveal the full extent of the flu in the community.
00:37The numbers that we see in the statistics generally reflect those who are sick enough to be attending for formal PCR testing either at a general practice or a hospital.
00:45GPs say they're seeing a big increase in kids under 10 getting the flu who are in turn passing it on to their parents and grandparents.
00:53Most people are reporting that they're getting a sore throat, productive cough but the thing that people are complaining most about when they see me is really really significant fatigue.
01:02Emergency departments say they believe the flu season will last longer this year after seeing a 5-10% increase in the number of patients in acute care.
01:11In our paediatric space we're seeing around a 20% increase in presentations due to flu or other viral respiratory illnesses.
01:18Doctors are advising people to use a triple test which can test for flu, COVID and RSV and say it's not too late to get the flu shot.
01:27Even now it would be worth getting a flu vaccine. You know there is flu circulating the whole year round so it's always worth getting your yearly flu vaccine.
01:35They say even if you've had the flu this year it's still worth getting the vaccine as it can protect you from other strains that are circulating.
