Telford fails to escape Australian flu outbreak

Telford was one of four towns in the UK to avoid catching the flu, according to Flusurvey, which measures the amount of "influenza like illness".

But now a number of reports of people battling the potentially dangerous 'Aussie' H3N2 strain have been made in the area.

It comes as the NHS braces itself for further strain on services as temperatures plummet and ice warnings are put in place this weekend.

NHS England urged people to stock up on medicines, check on vulnerable or elderly neighbours and get the flu jab, after winter pressures continue to put strain on the health service.

It said that two-and-a-half times as many flu sufferers have been admitted to hospital than at this point last year, with parts of France reporting being on the brink of a flu epidemic.

FluSurvey draws on thousands of people across the UK who participate in the survey, reporting their symptoms each week.

The tool relies on them to report when they are suffering flu-like symptoms so the true figure is likely to be much higher.

Reports say in the past week at least 17 people in England and Wales were admitted to intensive care with 'Aussie flu'.

Symptoms of Aussie flu are similar to those caused by normal flu but they are more severe.

People usually recover from normal flu within a week or so – anyone still significantly ill after seven days could have caught the infection.

Meanwhile, Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said a "real crisis" had developed in hospitals since New Year's Eve.

He said: "There has been debate as to what constitutes a crisis but to all those working at the front door the last four days has definitely been at that level.

"The temperature is set to drop again and looks like it will be below the 5C mark, which statistics show means more illness and more hospital attendances to come."

He added that while some of the claims by medics had been "overzealous and hyperbolic", he urged the Government to listen to doctors' concerns and act on them.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes gave odds of 5/4 that this will be the coldest January on record.

What to do if you have flu:

Check if you have flu

Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:

• A sudden fever – a temperature of 38C or above

• Aching body

• Feeling tired or exhausted

• Dry, chesty cough

• Sore throat

• Headache

• Difficulty sleeping

• Loss of appetite

• Diarrhoea or tummy pain

• Nausea and being sick

• The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active

How to treat flu yourself

• To help you get better more quickly:

• Rest and sleep

• Keep warm

• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)

Source: NHS Choices - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/flu