As the flu continues to spread, a record number of phone calls have been made to House Call Doctor where parents and children have been struck down.

Flu-related cases involving children across Ipswich have increased 30 per cent in the past week with doctors arriving to find entire households where everyone is sick.

House Call Doctor chief executive officer Wayne Ormond said House Call Doctor was rostering on as many extra doctors as possible to try to cope with the increased demand.

“There have been 2,203 laboratory confirmed flu notifications involving children younger than five this year including 169 who required hospital admission and 10 ended up in intensive care.” he said.

“If you haven’t had your flu shot or had your children vaccinated, visit your GP. Children are heading back to school this week and the worst of the flu season is ahead of us and children, particularly younger children, are susceptible to potentially fatal complications.”

House Call Doctor began a nationwide recruitment drive last month and has begun flying doctors in from interstate.

So far this year the flu has claimed 51 lives across Queensland with the national death toll at 300.

House Call Doctor has made more than 800,000 house calls since it began in April 2015.

Original Source: Queensland Times | 15 July 2019