Experts have issued a stark warning about a common virus that is growing in strength, with its effects becoming increasingly worrying due to the rising infection rates this year.
A group of common viruses are experiencing a surge in potency, symptoms and cases in Australia amidst their winter season, which could potentially arrive in the UK on virus vectors as we approach the end of summer and the weather gets colder.
The diseases include whooping cough, flu and gastroenteritis. All three illnesses have seen a significant increase in cases, placing an “unprecedented” strain on hospitals and particularly affecting younger demographics.
Influenza infections this year are already 27 per cent higher than last year, with the northern hemisphere yet to experience winter when these viruses become more prevalent.
Michael Clements, the rural chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, has cautioned that these figures could still be an underestimate as many people do not get tested for these common viruses. However, the worsening symptoms have left some individuals bedridden or developing even more severe complications and diseases.
Steph Pase, a young mother who contracted influenza A, took to social media to warn others not to underestimate the common virus this year. She fell ill last month and claimed she had “never been sicker in my life” despite having previously contracted Covid.
A severe bout of flu struck down a Sydney woman, leaving her hospitalised and claiming it was “20 times worse than Covid”. After a brief recovery, the illness returned with a vengeance, evolving into pneumonia.
She recounted to Daily Mail how she ended up in the emergency room receiving antibiotics and fluids via an IV.
Natalie Hunt, another Sydney local, told Daily Mail that she was laid low for three weeks by a respiratory virus, branding it the “longest and nastiest illness I’ve had since I was a kid”.
Dr Joel Ten, a spokesperson for the National Asthma Council Australia, has observed a surge in severe infections at his Melbourne practice. Speaking to Yahoo News, he suggested that these viruses might feel more brutal than Covid because while coronavirus vaccinations have increased, flu vaccine uptake has decreased.
Australia is bracing for virus cases to peak around August or September, which could signal a subsequent rise in the UK as the seasons change. Medical expert Dr Clements voiced concerns from the healthcare sector about the potential for this trend to “overwhelm the hospital systems”.
He pointed out multiple factors contributing to the spike in cases, including reduced herd immunity from Covid, a resurgence in international travel, and individuals going to work when sick.
Already this year, the recorded cases of whooping cough have topped levels that hadn’t been seen since before the pandemic began, with the total number reported cases reaching 12,900 – which is a four times increase compared to the entirety of 2023. Shockingly, over 60% of these cases have involved children under the age of 14 and due to the “unseasonably high” infections, there has been a health warning issued in New South Wales.
A specific strain of gastroenteritis, cryptosporidiosis, is following suit and sees a rise comparable to whooping cough it’s currently triple the total cases recorded back in 2023. This sinister strain of infection is caused by a particular parasite that fortuitously survives chlorine and gets spread in swimming pools.