Influenza cases are rising across south-west Victoria, adding to already crippling staff shortages caused by COVID-19.
Hospitals and GPs across the region are seeing more patients presenting with respiratory illness, also adding to the pandemic pressures on the health system.
It comes as schools across the state deal with unprecedented staff shortages related to the flu and COVID-19 outbreaks.
Warrnambool's Images Restaurant manager Stacey Mark said small businesses had been hit the hardest, with some having to shut for extended periods.
"Some businesses have had to close for a week because key staff have been out or they're shortening hours," Ms Mark said.
"A lot of the small businesses are finding it a little bit difficult, especially with hospitality — we've got so many jobs advertised out here it's insane.
"Every second window down Liebig Street, they're looking for staff."
The wave of flu cases coincides with a spike in COVID-19 in the wake of the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival and the Koroit Irish Festival, which attracted thousands of visitors to the region.
Warrnambool recorded 1,433 cases in the fortnight after the May races.
Call for incentives to attract more workers to hospitality
Lucas Reid is part-owner of the Cally Hotel in Warrnambool, which was one of the most popular destinations for racegoers during the race week.
Mr Reid said staffing levels took a massive hit after the event.
"There's a flu going around," he said.
"The staff shortage came after the races. There were a number of people absent, it was a tough week."
Mr Reid said more incentives were needed to draw workers into the industry, such as a four-day working week and better award rates, as well as the return of international workers.
"We need more people in the industry."
Flu spreading through younger people
Nomvuyo Mothobi, an infectious diseases physician and microbiologist for the Barwon South West Public Health Unit, said the current wave of flu cases was spreading through young people.
"The majority of the numbers for influenza are tending to be people in the younger age group that are out and about and socialising," Dr Mothobi said.
"But those numbers might start to increase; young people may pass on influenza and other respiratory illnesses to older, more vulnerable members of the community, as well as the very young."
Reflecting the state-wide trend, south-west Victoria has recorded more influenza cases so far this year than the whole of 2020 and 2021 combined.
The latest data from the Victorian health department shows there have been 166 reported cases of the flu locally since the start of 2022.
This is compared to 13 in 2021 and 95 in 2020, when international borders were closed and COVID restrictions were in place.
Victoria-wide there are 8,021 influenza cases, compared to just 110 in 2021 and 4,790 in 2020.
They remain lower than they were at the beginning of the severe 2019 flu season.
More pressure on already fatigued health system
Timboon and District Health Service chief executive Rebecca Van Wollingen fears more illness will drive up pressure on the already fatigued health system.
She said getting a flu shot would help illness levels, the health system, and businesses.
"We've got the perfect storm of people being released into the public, all these public events, and then also it's a really cold winter and influenza is coming.
"We're starting to see the outcome of that perfect storm with everyone coming through the GP clinics and people presenting to urgent care."
