ODT: Rise in flu-like illnesses

John Gibb writes in the Otago Daily Times about the slight rise in flu-like illnesses being reported among patients in among patients in Otago-Southland, the uptake of the seasonal flu vaccine, and the absence of swine flu cases in the region.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“However, there had been no recent confirmed cases of the swine flu pandemic strain of H1N1 virus in the southern region, Dr Poore said.

“There had been a significant increase this year in the number of people choosing to be vaccinated against influenza, with a multi-strain vaccination available against the pandemic strain of influenza A and two other influenza strains, she said.”