In Australia, influenza causes as many as 23,500 hospital admissions and 1,500 deaths a year. And it is not only elderly people who are affected by influenza. Australia a great deal in doctor visits, hospital stays and days off work. The symptoms are quite different to the common cold or other respiratory infections. These often begin suddenly and develop quickly.
Influenza is much more than a cough and cold.
It usually requires 2-4 days in bed. Full recovery can take up to 3-4 weeks. Influenza is generally spread by the coughs and sneezes of an infected person. The infection starts in the upper breathing passages - the nose and throat. If the virus spreads further down into the lungs, this can result in bronchitis and pneumonia.