8-year-old dies of flu outbreak

Health authorities claim the girl died in the Angliss Hospital at Upper Ferntree Gully in Melbourne's east on Friday. 

Earlier this month eight people died from a flu outbreak at an aged care facility at St John's Retirement Village in Wangaratta in Victoria's north-east.

The residents who died were aged between 70 and 94, and had other health conditions that made them particularly susceptible. 

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said it had been a devastating flu season.

'What this does show is that flu can hit anyone. It can hit the old or the young, it can hit the healthy or the unhealthy and people should immediately reach out for medical support,' she said. 

'It's not too late to get vaccinated,' Hennessy added.

This article originally appeared on New Idea.