Fast and furious
Research by University of Otago, Wellington, professor Michael Baker and Dr Trang Khieu has found that influenza is probably New Zealand’s deadliest infectious disease. More than 200,000 New Zealanders contract the flu each year. Of these, it’s estimated that 400-500 people will die either directly or indirectly from its effects. In the key 65-79-year age group, men are twice as likely to die from the flu as women, and Māori are 3.6 times more likely to die than those of other ethnicities. Those living in the most deprived 20% of neighbourhoods are 1.8 times as likely to die compared with those living in the
