- Tasmanian nursing home confirmed six of its residents died last month due to flu
- Uniting AgeWell said on Saturday that it lost six of its residents to Influenza A
- Seven people aged from 70 to 94 died at an Victorian nursing home on Friday
- The new deaths occured at the aged care facility in Latrobe, Tasmania in August
The death toll from an influenza outbreak in aged care homes has risen with a Tasmanian nursing home confirming six of its residents died last month during one of the ‘worst flu seasons ever’.
It was revealed on Friday seven people aged between 70 and 94 died and a further 100 were left ill following an outbreak at Wangaratta’s St John’s Retirement Village in Victoria in the fortnight up to Wednesday.
Uniting AgeWell confirmed on Saturday it lost six residents to an Influenza A outbreak at the Strathdevon aged care facility at Latrobe, Tasmania between August 9 and 16.
Tasmanian nursing home confirmed six of its residents died last month due to flu (stock image)
Uniting AgeWell said on Saturday that it lost six of its residents to Influenza A (stock image)
It said despite 95 per cent of residents receiving this year’s vaccination, 31 contracted the the virus.
‘It has been the worst flu season witnessed across Australia and a very difficult time for people in aged care,’ acting CEO Graeme Barnes said in a statement.
He said those who died had underlying health conditions and all precautions and hygiene requirements were taken to minimise the infection spreading.
Mr Barnes said the facility was cleared of the illness on August 30.
In response to the outbreak, advocacy group the Immunisation Coalition has called for mandatory vaccination for all staff in aged care.
‘Influenza vaccination of staff is the single best prevention from a disease that causes severe complications and death in vulnerable older persons,’ chairman Paul Van Buynder said in a statement.
Residents, aged between 70 to 94, died at Wangaratta’s St John’s Retirement Village(pictured)
Dr Brett Sutton said the nation is at its worst flu seasons ever and the elderly are at high risk
‘Elderly people suffer from a declining immune system and vaccines are often ineffective in this group so it is of paramount importance to increase herd immunity around them.’
In Victoria in 2017 there have been more than 11,300 cases of influenza, with more expected.
‘We are at the peak of one of the worst flu seasons ever and the elderly are one of highest-risk groups,’ Victorian chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton said on Friday.
In Victoria in 2017 there have been more than 11,300 cases of influenza (stock image)