Warning On New Strain Of Flu

MELBOURNE, June 6 (Bernama) -- A new strain of flu from the northern hemisphere is likely to spread through Australia this winter, health authorities said. The Director of the Centre for Health Protection in Sydney, Dr Jeremy McAnulty said the new flu strain (H3N2) was likely to replace the H1N1 flu that emerged in 2009 as the dominant strain. Pregnant women, the elderly and the chronically ill should be vaccinated. "This may mean that people in older age groups ... may be at greater risk this winter," Dr McAnulty said in a statement. "We are already seeing a rise in activity ... so now is the time to get vaccinated." Dr McAnulty said parents should arrange flu vaccinations for children older than six months, who were at relatively high risk of severe influenza. -- BERNAMA