Flu outbreak in Dunedin

In less than two weeks, Dunedin’s emergency department has seen over a hundred people with influenza infections. The Southern District Health Board has not confirmed the age range of the people seen, but it is understood many of those who presented to ED were tertiary-aged. Multiple sets of parents said they’ve had to bring their students home to take care of them, anonymously saying their children were sicker than they had ever seen them before. A Dunedin hospital spokesperson said before May 3 only one person had presented to ED with influenza infection in more than two years. In the past 13 days, 117 had been seen.