Influenza rates have continued to rise in the City of Greater Bendigo and the wider Loddon Mallee region, since initially beginning to peak in early July.

Bendigo Health infectious diseases physician, Dr Andrew Mahony, said the spike was creating extra work for the city’s emergency department and doctors on wards at the hospital.

“We’re certainly seeing a number needing to be admitted to hospital either because of the flu or other conditions,” he said.

More than 90 cases of influenza in greater Bendigo had been reported to the Victorian health department by August 12 this year, compared to only 31 at the same time in 2016.

Half of those cases have been reported in the past four weeks.

Dr Mahony said the hospital was seeing patients with mild, moderate and severe cases of the flu, and a number of other viruses were circulating as well. 

In the wider Loddon Mallee region, 259 cases of the flu have been reported to the health department by August 12, up from 108 people for the same period last year.

Dr Mahony said the flu season typically hit in late winter and early spring, and cases would likely continue at the current rate for the next few weeks.

“Barring some sort of stoke of luck, we’ll continue to see cases putting that strain on hospitals,” he said.

“It is not too late to get vaccinated, but time is running out.”

Dr Mahony said the elderly population was at higher risk of contracting the flu, and a local aged care was currently dealing with a small outbreak.

He urged people to practise good hand hygiene if they fell sick and to be wary of coming in close contact with those at higher risk.

“Make sure you’re not coughing all over your family at home and in the workplace, be mindful of cough etiquette,” he said.

“People don’t want to get your virus if you are unwell.”

More information on dealing with influenza is available at the Better Health Channel: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/flu-influenza