As hospitals experience a spike in people being treated for respiratory illnesses, a leading GP has warned that influenza should not be underestimated. Winter illnesses are currently spreading throughout the country, with ESR data showing that Auckland hospitals recently saw the biggest spike in hospital admissions caused by severe acute respiratory illnesses in a single week since 2015. The Herald has reported on several people who have died suddenly from illnesses such as influenza, most recently Wellington nurse Maria-Packe Leonard, whose husband remains in ICU.
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