Intense flu season comes to end, leaving two dead

It's been the most intense flu season in four years but the worst is over, experts say.

It's been the most intense flu season in four years but the worst is over, experts say.

The number of people with flu symptoms visiting their doctor dropped rapidly last week, said Dr Sue Huang, the World Health Organisation's National Influenza Centre director.

"We had a peak in August and now it is falling quite rapidly. In the South Island this year we had a lot of flu B and in the North Island we had a lot of flu A," she said.

"This year was very similar to 2012 and also 2010 in peak and intensity."

Sickness levels were compounded by a number of other respiratory viruses causing flu-like symptoms.

In mid-July, a 4-year-old boy died of flu after he was admitted to hospital suffering pneumonia. Flu also claimed the life of a 77-year-old woman.

Doctors said more than four times the number of people were infected this winter compared to last year.

The vaccine was less successful this year than last, but clinical director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre Dr Nikki Turner said it had helped.

"The vaccine has prevented a considerable amount of flu in the community and kept hospital admissions down." Around 1.2 million doses of the vaccine were distributed this year. Although it was the end of the sick season, Turner said it was still possible for people to get cold and flu symptoms as there were still low levels of the illness lurking about.