Flu deaths have risen to 57 in NSW, with the state's health ministry urging people to get a flu shot before visiting elderly residents in aged care homes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The elderly continue to fall victim to this year's flu virus, with seven more fatalities in the past week of a person aged over 60 years, bringing the annual toll to 57 confirmed deaths.
NSW Health has warned flu outbreaks in aged-care facilities continue to rise, prompting a warning for people to get vaccinated before visiting the elderly and to stay home if they are ill.
The warning comes as the Marco Polo Aged Care Centre at Unanderra, near Wollongong on the NSW south coast, remains in lockdown following a flu outbreak.
Fifteen residents have come down with the virus in the past three weeks, four of whom have subsequently died, the Nine Network reports.
NSW Health Director of Communicable Disease Dr Vicky Sheppeard last week said that so far this year, there have been 87 confirmed influenza outbreaks in aged-care facilities, 12 of which were reported last week.
"The elderly are highly vulnerable to influenza and the flu jab is critical to reducing the risk of visitors catching the virus and bringing it into aged-care homes," Dr Sheppeard said.
AAP
