Parents in Australian state urged to get children vaccinated against flu

Sydney [Australia], July 1. Health authorities of Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) have urged the local parents of children aged six months to under five to vaccinate their kids against flu amid rising cases.
NSW Ministry of Health said on Friday that since May, eight children have been admitted to intensive care with life-threatening complications from the flu at Sydney's two children hospitals. Some children are suffering serious cardiac, neurological and muscle-related complications after acquiring influenza.
There are concerns that presentations and admissions for influenza-like illness is exceeding presentations to emergency department for COVID-19.
"Young children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable and at higher risk of severe illness from influenza, and we are very worried by what we've seen so far this winter," said head of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Alison Kesson.
She added that influenza can lead to severe complications including heart disease, inflammation of the brain, muscle damage and severe bacterial infections.
Children aged six months to under five years old, people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, aboriginal people from six months of age, and those with serious health conditions such as cancer, are eligible for a free flu vaccine in the state.
Influenza notifications increased by 15 percent in the past week and presentations to emergency departments for influenza-like illness remain high, according to weekly data from the NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report in the week ending June 24.
Source: Xinhua