Thirteen confirmed dead from summer flu

Thirteen Victorians have died as a result of summer flu, including at least one child.

There have been 5100 confirmed cases of summer flu this season, triple the number of cases seen last summer.

However, health authorities say this shouldn’t be seen as an indicator of how the winter season is going to go.

The Victorian state government has ordered an extra 200,000 doses of flu vaccine for the winter season, following shortages last year.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos launched a campaign today encouraging Victorians to get their flu shot ahead of winter and help stop the spread of flu.

Ms Mikakos said people who get the vaccine now will be protected for the whole winter season.

Professor Robert Booy, Chairman of the Immunisation Coalition, told Tom Elliott how the yearly flu vaccine is developed.

“Every twelve months we come together, in early October, and decide what strains will go into the vaccine which is available in April the following year,” he said.

This year’s flu vaccine is available now.