Respiratory infections soar in WA as Australian Medical Association urges people to get COVID & flu vaccines
Rates of respiratory infections such as influenza, whooping cough and COVID have increased in WA over the past few months prompting Australia's peak medical body to urge people to get vaccinated.
The Australian Medical Association wants everyone, especially those most at risk, to prioritise seeing their doctor about getting a jab highlighting new data from Western Australia that showed its RSV immunisation program targeting infants had reduced hospitalisations by more than 50 per cent.
According to WA's latest statewide notifiable disease report, respiratory infections are rising, with rates of influenza and whooping cough more than doubling compared to this time last year.
To date, there were 6983 influenza cases reported this year compared to 3068 in 2024, 822 whooping cough cases, compared to 171 last year, RSV sits at 1619, up from 2024's 1376.
The northern hemisphere's 2024 to 25 flu season just wound up to devastating effect — in the US, 216 children died, the highest paediatric death toll in 15 years, and in the UK, influenza rates quadrupled.
The WA Department of Health's virus watch revealed that three people have already died this year of influenza and one from RSV.
COVID continues to plague the state as well, with wastewater concentration of the disease rising sharply in May and hospitalisations increasing to an average of 60 a day, while ICU admissions rose to two a week.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said the success of WA's RSV immunisation program demonstrated the power of evidence-based prevention.
It's estimated that the program saved the WA health system between $6.2 to $6.9 million in hospital costs and reduced hospitalisation among infants by 57 per cent.
Meanwhile, vaccination rates for COVID and influenza have fallen across the board, which Ms McMullen said was 'alarming'.
'New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate, leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness,' Dr McMullen said.
WA influenza vaccine coverage sits at 19 per cent, while just 12 per cent of people aged under 64 are vaccinated.
'We are particularly concerned by vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups,' Dr McMullen added.
'Meanwhile, COVID-19 booster coverage has dropped significantly in people aged 75 and over, falling from 38.2 per cent to just 32.62 per cent in the past 12 months.'
Dr McMullen urged people who are worried about vaccine misinformation on social media to get expert guidance from their GP.
'The evidence is clear — vaccines work. But vaccines sitting in fridges don't save lives. We need people to pay attention, particularly parents of young children and older Australians,' Dr McMullen added.
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