A POTENTIALLY deadly flu strain is heading for the UK from Down Under - leaving Brits to face the worst flu season in 50 years.
But what exactly is Aussie flu, and how is it different from the normal winter bug? Here's what we know...
Getty - Contributor Aussie flu is a potentially deadly strain of the winter bug
What is Aussie flu?
Around 170,000 cases of flu have been reported in Australia this season, which is two and a half times more than last year.
The strain of flu is called H3N2, and public health expert Professor Robert Dingwall, from Nottingham Trent University, warned it was "almost inevitable" the winter bug will hit Britain this winter.
He added: "The reports from Australia suggest the UK might be in for the worst winter flu season for many years."
The number of flu deaths in Australia over their winter has not yet been released, but it's thought to be the worst in years.
Now Aussie flu has claimed its first victims in Ireland - as the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) revealed a number of people have already died from the virus.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, from the Health Protection department, told Independent.ie: "There have been a few deaths already... under 10 people have died so far this year."
A surge in infections has seen cases of the new H3N2 strain skyrocket in recent days as the NHS faces a seriously challenging flu season.
Data from Public Health England reveals that at least 1,649 people have been struck down by the potentially deadly strain in England and Wales - in just one week over the Christmas period.
FluSurvey This map shows how most of the country has been affected by the 'Aussie flu', with red areas the most heavily hit
How many people have been affected by Aussie flu?
Public Health England revealed 1,649 people had been struck down with Aussie flu over the Christmas week, up almost half on the week before.
And at least 73 have already been admitted to hospital, causing doctors to urge people to get vaccinated - as the flue "actively circulates" in Ireland.
Professor Dingall previously told the Daily Express that this is the most serious flu epidemic since the 1968 pandemic that started in Hong Kong - and killed a million people worldwide.
H3N2 is a mutated strain of flu, meaning the vaccine in Australia has been less effective than hoped.
Mum-of-two Jennifer Thew, who's originally from Germany, was one of those to die from flu in Australia in September.
She died from acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by flu - even though she worked as a medical receptionist and had been vaccinated against it.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, from the Health Protection department, told Independent.ie: "There have been a few deaths already... under 10 people have died so far this year.
"I don't give specific numbers when it's less than 10 because people could be identified."
Getty - Contributor If you don't recover after a week, it could be a sign that you know a more serious strain of flu
What are the symptoms of Aussie flu?
Symptoms of Aussie flu are similar to those caused by normal flu, but they are more severe. Here are some signs to look out for:
Sore throat and cough
Headache
Fever
Muscle ache
Fatigue
Runny nose and sneezing
People should recover from normal flu within a week so, although the cough and fatigue may last longer.
So if you're still really ill after seven days, it's a good indication of something more serious.
Aussie flu can lead to pneumonia and other potentially fatal complications.
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Who is most at risk from Aussie flu?
Those most at risk are the over 65s, pregnant women, young kids and those with chronic conditions - like diabetes, lung and heart disease.
Back in September, NHS bosses urged all eligible Brits to get the free flu jab - but admitted it was too late to tweak the strains in their stockpile.
More than 21 million Brits can get a free vaccine. In 2016, it didn't match the dominant flu strain - causing the biggest spike in winter deaths since the 60s.
What areas in the UK are at most risk from Aussie flu?
Map shows the Aussie flu hot spots of the UK, according to FluSurvey data
Plymouth, Doncaster and Durham are revealed as Aussie flu hot spots while other parts of the country have no recorded outbreaks, according to a map compiled by the FluSurvey website.
It relies on patients self-reporting so the true figure in each region is likely to be far higher.
Public Health England revealed 1,649 people had been struck down with Aussie flu over the Christmas week, up almost half on the week before.
Just a handful of places remain uninfected by the deadly 'Aussie flu' virus as it rapidly spreads across the UK — plunging hospitals into chaos.
Perthsire, Inverness, Preston, Glasgow and Midlothian - previously untouched - have now all reported cases of the dangerous new H3N2 strain of Influenza A.
Now, just Dorset, Ilford, Market Drayton, Telford and the City of London have a reported zero cases, according to website Flusurvey.org.uk.
The 'sign of peace' handshake has even been banned across churches in Northern Ireland due to the risk of infection.
Just a handful of areas - Dorset, Ilford, Market Drayton, the City of London and Telford (coloured blue) have a reported zero cases, according to website Flusurvey
A statement form the office of Bishop Noel Treanor said: 'The customary sign of peace handshake exchanged during mass is suspended until the risk of infection is significantly reduced.
'Other provisions will be made for those who suffer from a coeliac condition, such as separate chalices.'
In County Cork, strict visiting restrictions have been rolled out across Cork University Hospital, Mercy University Hospital and Bantry General Hospital.
In a bid to halt it spreading, Cork University Hospital announced that it is banning all visitors with immediate effect.
A hospital spokesman said: 'In relation to patients in the Intensive Treatment Unit and the Paediatric Ward and at the discretion of the Ward Manager only, it is necessary to restrict visitors to one person per patient.'
UFC fighter Conor McGregor, pictured with his baby boy Conor Jr, was among those struck down by the bug during the festive period
The NHS is braced for one of the worst flu seasons in 50 years after a surge in infections in the UK, with hotspots being Plymouth, Doncaster and Belfast.
However, the online FluSurvey map, which updates every three minutes, relies on self-reported data from patients, meaning the true figure is likely to be much higher.
Plymouth has been hit the hardest, with 25 new cases in the past three weeks, according to Public Health England figures.
At least 1,649 people have been struck down by the potentially deadly strain in England and Wales within a week over the Christmas period.
A further 112 patients were admitted to non-emergency hospital wards - an increase from a mere five the week before.
Some 17 people in England and Wales were admitted to intensive care in the past week, according to a government report.
And fears of fatalities have been growing after the lethal virus claimed its first victims in Ireland.
Experts fear the virulent flu strain could prove as deadly to humanity as the Hong Kong flu in 1968, which killed one million people.
Cases of the dangerous new H3N2 strain of Influenza A are pushing the NHS to its limit, with 55,000 operations being cancelled as hospitals sturggle to cope with a surge in patients
Flu kills an average of 8,000 people every year in England and Wales, but experts previously warned that this number could rise significantly if the Aussie flu struck.
Some 55,000 operations have been cancelled as hospitals struggle to cope with a surge in patients.
Doctors are cancelling holidays and working late into the night to try to manage the demand after being told to keep patients out of hospitals as the NHS struggles.
The soaring cases, which jumped by 48 per cent over the space of a week, has been blamed for adding extra pressure onto an already stretched health service.
Public Health England shows the killer virus has left 1,078 in hospital - a quarter of which because of so-called 'Aussie flu'
Yesterday a British mum told of her horrific experience with the illness.
She originally thought it was a hangover after drinking too much prosecco, but quickly realised it was much more serious after it left her bed-bound for five weeks.
Natalie Shand, 39, who said her body ached all over, told the Mirror: 'I was bedbound for six days in total.
'Then I was OK for two weeks and then by December 23 it knocked me off my feet again for hours at a time.
'I had it for five weeks.'
Middlesbrough mum Paula Kay, who started suffering symptoms on Boxing Day, believes she picked up the bug while working on a panto.
The 36-year-old said she first had a tight chest and lost her voice, before developing a dry cough and trouble with her sinuses.
'I would say the pain is about a six out of ten - but I have a high pain threshold,' she said.
'I've had to force myself to eat and I just felt wiped out.
'I would do a few little jobs around the house ad it felt like a week's work.
'On one day I just kept falling asleep and spent about 24 hours on the sofa.
'I've had worse but I've never known flu last this long.'
'I thought I was surrounded by Minions' - one dad's battle with the deadly bug causing chaos in the UK Simon Ereira, 36, thought he was surrounded by the Despicable Me characters during his frightening battle with the deadly illness sweeping the UK A dad struck down with 'Aussie flu' became so delirious he believed he was surrounded by minions. Simon Ereira, 36, has been battling the deadly bug since Boxing Day and said it was one of the worst things he'd ever had. And his fever-induced hallucinations even convinced him he was seeing the mischievous Despical Me characters. The Stockton-on-Tees resident spent a whole day in the bathroom vomiting after suffering 'wrenching' stomach pain. 'The headache was the worst, to the point lights had to be off in any room,' he told GazetteLive. 'I slept on and off for majority of it and got a very severe fever, where I spent one night in my living room trying to figure why I had Minions in the room with me, and another where I had three relatives sitting on the sofa with me, all three of which have passed. 'That was the point I thought I was a goner.' He added: 'I had one night of intense pain where I actually sat in the loo in tears. 'It just removed any ounce of energy from you.' Teesside was recently named one the UK hotspots for the bug.
'This is about life and death': BBC's Andrew Marr lashes Theresa May over NHS winter crisis as he tells her if he suffered his stroke this year he could have died because of A&E delays
The BBC's Andrew Marr lashed Theresa May over the NHS winter crisis today, suggesting if he had stroke this year he might have died.
Marr said delays to emergency treatment were a 'life and death matter' and recalled his own illness in January 2013 in an interview with the Prime Minister.
He told Mrs May about a woman called Leah Butler Smith whose mother waited five hours for stroke treatment in recent weeks because of delays in an Accident and Emergency department in Essex.
Marr said if he had been forced to wait for five hours for treatment he might never have survived the devastating stroke he suffered while on a rowing machine.
The BBC's Andrew Marr lashed Theresa May over the NHS winter crisis today, suggesting if he had stroke this year he might have died
During the interview, Marr told Mrs May about a woman called Leah Butler Smith whose mother waited five hours for stroke treatment in recent weeks because of delays in an Accident and Emergency department in Essex
Mrs May (pictured in Maidenhead this morning with husband Philip) said the Government was working to tackle the problems in the health service with more money and detailed plans
In her first interview of the year, which was pre-recorded in Maidenhead yesterday, Mrs May insisted she understood the concerns but said the Government was working to tackle the problems.
Marr told her: 'If I'd been waiting for five hours before I'd seen a doctor after my stroke I would not be here talking to you.
'This is about life and death and up and down the country people are having horrendous experiences of the NHS. Where they say there's a plan or not there is a real, real problem.'
Marr returned to work eight months after his January 2013 stroke (pictured) but was left permanently disabled and using a cane to help him walk
'If we look at what is happening across the NHS what we see is that actually the NHS is delivering for more people, it is treating more people and more people are being seen within the four hours every day than has been in the – a few years ago.
'But of course nothing's perfect and there is more for us to do.'
Mrs May insisted the Government had put more money into the NHS ahead of this winter.
And she said there had been extensive planning, part of which involved the cancellation of planned operations this week to free up capacity.
Both Mrs May and her health secretary Jeremy Hunt apologised for the cancellations this week and she said today: 'I was apologising for the fact that of course as we've seen some operations have been postponed and some people have been delayed in being admitted to – to hospital.
'Now, if you look across the NHS, experience is different. Experience is different from hospital to hospital as to what is – what is happening. There are some hospitals where very few operations have been cancelled.'
In her first interview of the year, which was pre-recorded in Maidenhead yesterday (pictured), Mrs May insisted she understood the concerns
Mrs May visited Frimley Park Hospital near Camberley, this week to see first hand the pressure on the NHS (pictured)
Marr told the Prime Minister extra money put into the NHS was 'not nearly enough' and the health service was under going the 'tightest funding squeeze in its history'.
She replied: 'Well year in and year out we look at the funding for the National Health Service and what we've done is consistently where we felt it did need more funding we have put more funding into it.
'We've put some – we put some extra money in for the coping with the winter pressures.'
She added: 'We should be proud of the fact that our NHS has been named as the safest and best health care system in the world. Is there more we can do? Yes, of course there is and that's what the government will be doing.'
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Aussie flu is sweeping the UK - and Hull is a hotspot.
The illness has left hundreds of people bedridden and feeling unwell.
But how do you know if you have Aussie flu or just a cold?
Unfortunately, one telltale sign is the length of your illness - as the H3N2 strain of flu can leave you feeling ill for weeks.
Here's some of the signs you may have contracted the virus, and what you should do to get better.
The signs and symptoms
You'll feel like you've been hit by a bus
(Image: Getty)
If you have Aussie flu, you are unlikely to be able to get out of bed.
The virus causes extreme tiredness and severe body aches which may mean you find it hard to get up and on.
It'll feel like the worst cold you've ever had
From a sudden high temperature (over 38C) to a running nose, pounding head and persistent cough, it will feel much worse than a cold.
If you have a cold, you may feel a bit rough but you can usually get on with your life as normal.
If you have flu, generally, you're not going anywhere.
You may have an upset stomach
One unpleasant aspect of Aussie flu is that, for many, it may also cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
This is one surefire way to distinguish between the flu and a cold.
And it will all last much longer than you can bear
Perhaps the worst part of suffering from Aussie flu is the duration of the symptoms.
If you do get it, you are likely to be feeling ill for at least a week or two.
Even once the worst is over, you may not feel 100 per cent for even longer.
(Image: https://flusurvey.org.uk/)
What to do if you think you have it
If you think you have Aussie flu, the most important thing you can do is REST.
The NHS recommends rest and sleep to help speed up your recovery.
It also advises:
Keeping warm
Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pans
Drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration
Will antibiotics help?
The NHS says: "GPs don't recommend antibiotics for flu because they won't relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery."
When you should see a doctor
(Image: PA Photo/thinkstockphotos)
The NHS advises booking an appointment to see your GP if:
As the number of people hospitalised by flu has tripled in a week, one in four patients admitted with influenza is suffering from the deadliest strain - known as Australian flu.
The latest statistics suggest around 4.5 milllion people in England are suffering "influenza-like symptoms".
Last week, 24 people died from flu in the UK. According to Public Health England, the total number of those with flu in hospital has risen from 1,280 to 3,750 in a week, a 2.9-fold rise.
The arrival of Australian flu - also known as Aussie flu - comes amid a crisis in the NHS, as NHS England urged hospitals to defer pre-planned operations and routine outpatient appointments until the end of the month.
The strain is of particular concern due to fears that current vaccinations are not providing effective protection to the elderly.
