A 3-year-old child is the youngest of 26 people whose deaths have been attributed to Victoria's early-starting flu season this year. So far 10,683 confirmed flu cases have been reported since the current season started late last year, Dr Bone said. "We are seeing a lot of communicable diseases spread through overseas travel, that's certainly been the case in terms of measles cases and flu cases," Ms Mikakos told reporters. "We have seen a very significant summer flu season this year as a result of people coming back from the northern hemisphere with the flu and that spreading in the community." "We have put in an order for a record number of flu vaccines this year, two million flu vaccines for Victorians are available," Ms Mikakos said.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 21, 2019 05:03 UTC