Spike in deaths during horror flu season

A 20-year-old is among almost 40 Queenslanders to have died from the flu as the state suffers through a horror season.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the youngest death so far has been a 20-year-old.

Health Minister Steven Miles this morning said the state would spend another $3.5 million to provide a further 5000 bed nights to cope with demand.

So far hospitals are coping with no elective surgeries cancelled, Dr Young said.

The Courier-Mail reported in mid-May that 25 people had died from the flu, which was more than half the number to have died for the whole of 2018.

Figures confirmed that flu cases were running at more than three times the five-year average for that time of year.

The 2018 total of influenza deaths was 43.