Flu cases in South Australia set to hit 20,000 as SA Health reveals there have been 82 deaths

The death toll from South Australia's horror flu season has risen to 82 and the total number of reported cases is set to hit 20,000 compared to 1,500 at the same time last year.

"We've had approximately 20,000 cases now of influenza — this is obviously a much bigger flu season this year than last year," she said.

She said SA Health received notifications from Births, Deaths and Marriages about South Australians who had died and that information had to be matched up against hospital data about people who had contracted the disease.

Dr Spurrier said the additional 37 deaths did not occur within the past week — but over months.

She said most deaths had occurred in people over the age of 65.

"It's very unfortunate to see this number of people that have died, however the influenza virus this year is not considered to be any more deadly than the viruses in the past," she said.



https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-08/flu-death-toll-rises-to-82-in-south-australia/11288242