The flu season is off to an early start, with more than 200 confirmed cases throughout the region already this year.
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It's higher than the first two months of 2019 - when 148 cases were recorded in the Illawarra Shoalhaven - and that led into a horror flu season with a total of 4037 cases over the 12 months.
In 2017 - perhaps the worst year on record for flu with 4898 cases in the health district - only 84 cases were recorded during January and February.
However the elevated levels of flu in the area - and across NSW - are in large part due to increased testing, according to Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District Director Public Health Curtis Gregory.
"There were 34,953 tests for respiratory illness performed at NSW laboratories in January 2020, up 49 per cent on last year, likely due to increased awareness of the novel coronavirus outbreak," he said.
"People with a respiratory illness have been urged to present to their doctor for assessment, particularly if they have travelled from areas where there is a known risk, or where screening measures are not as robust.
"In addition to increased testing, the high number of flu notifications in January are also influenced by people returning from holidays in the northern hemisphere winter, not unlike what we have seen in previous years."
Labor's health spokesman Ryan Park recently called on the state government to do more to alert people to the dangers of flu, due to the early rise in cases statewide.
However Mr Gregory said NSW Health had been providing extensive updates to the community about COVID-19, in addition to information on its website. This material included advice on how to avoid respiratory illnesses, including influenza.
In addition, he said, NSW Health's annual Winter Influenza Campaign would roll out shortly.
"As is the case every flu season, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District will implement winter plans for our hospitals," Mr Gregory said.
"This will include procedures for allocating additional resources during periods of high demand, providing free flu vaccinations for frontline health staff and promoting good hygiene practices that help fight the spread of any disease including the flu."
In 2020, around 2.7 million government-funded flu vaccines are expected to be distributed across NSW.