Thread by @MackayIM

😷Australian National #Flu data up to 05JUN22.
🦠lab-confirmed total cases
www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/…

😷To clarify again this fortnight.
Yes, there is undoubtedly more testing capacity in Aus after labs beefed up PCR testing for the pandemic.

😷One way to check this is a real rise in #flu cases, not just over-testing is to look at deaths, hospital beds, ICU beds with flu-confirmed patients.
🛏️year to date (YTD from April 2022), 27 lab-confirmed influenza deaths (+24 since last fortnight)

🛏️YTD, 733 sentinel hospital admissions (+365)
🥽YTD, 45 (6.1%) of those admitted to ICU (+17)

😷Another way is to look at the proportion of tests that are virus-positive (=positives divided by total tested).
🧬the % is highest at about 800 per 100,000 population in the 5-9 year of age group (twice the highest rate of last fortnight, which was in 15-19yoa group).

🧬National rate has more than doubled from 150.5 per 100,000 population last fortnight to 341.8 per 100,000

😷If we look at the proportion of respiratory virus tests that are influenza-positive at a limited number of "sentinel" labs, we can see the rate is still rising (not sure what the denominator was in Jan-early Mar) and has spiked lately.

Ian's take-home messages...
📢Get #flu vaccine if you haven't already
📢Flu seasons pass - wearing a P2/N95 mask indoors increases your chances of missing this one
📢Stay home if sick (=new: cough, sneezing, headache, fever, fatigue)
📢Stay away from the elderly if sick

And the other respiratory viruses. We turn to eth @NSWHealth gold standard report for them in the most heavily populated of Australia's States and Territories (your experience will differ with and outside Australia).
health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/cov…

AdVs, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), HMPV, PIVs are all going off. Picornaviruses are taking a moment (RVs and EVs) but still at high peaky levels.