'Horrific flu season' kills eight-year-old Melbourne girl
Australia's deadly flu season has claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl and people have been warned not to dismiss symptoms as "simply a cold".
Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy on Monday said the Melbourne girl died on Friday, following the flu death of young dad Ben Ihlow on Father's Day.
"We are having a horrific flu season," Ms Hennessey told 3AW radio.
"This is an influenza strain that is able to impact the young, the elderly, the well and the unwell."
The Victorian Health Department confirmed the girl died at the Angliss Hospital in Upper Ferntree Gully on Friday.
The current flu season has been one of Victoria's worst according to the health department, with more than 11,800 confirmed cases in recent months and outbreaks at "very high levels", according to the health department.
Eight elderly residents died at a Wangaratta retirement centre, with more than 100 staff and residents also taken ill.
An additional six residents died of flu at Uniting Agewell's facility at Strathdevon in Tasmania between August 9 and 16.
The federal government on Sunday announced it would make flu jabs mandatory for all aged care workers to combat the spread of the virus.
Hospitals have been forced to cancel elective surgeries and discharge patients in order to make room for flu-stricken people.
Ms Hennessy said she will meet with experts today to discuss the flu crisis and urged Victorians not to dismiss flu symptoms as "simply a cold" or "'man flu'".
"Get to the doctor, call Nurse on Call, call an ambulance if you feel someone is very unwell. But don't ignore the flu symptoms," Ms Hennessy said.
"It needs to be taken seriously."
