The Department of Health has released a new influenza and winter respiratory illness fact sheet, which will serve as a weekly, centralised source of data.
The 2019 influenza illness season started earlier this year than in previous years, resulting in higher than average Emergency Department presentations and widespread media coverage.
This weekly fact sheet will include key data on confirmed influenza cases, hospital presentations and deaths. It will also provide information on vaccination uptake for the National Immunisation Program.
Further, the fact sheet will provide data on Emergency Department presentations related to Winter Respiratory Illness (influenza and other causes of illness that give clinically similar symptoms on presentation).
Direct links to metropolitan Emergency Department weekly activity will also be included.
The fact sheet will be published on the Department of Health’s Reports & publications page during the influenza season, and updated each Tuesday afternoon.
It will be complemented by a Q&A covering information on vaccine availability, dominant influenza strains and explanations on data collation and comparison.
Media responses on key influenza and winter respiratory illness presentations will be based on this weekly data.
ENDS
Media contact: (08) 9222 4333
Follow us on Twitter: @WAHealth