Feel like everyone around you is sick? Well it's been the worst flu season on record.

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE and JESSICA ROUSE

It's been confirmed: NSW has just recorded its worst flu season on record, with 64 more cases than last year reported across the Hunter New England region.

In the Hunter alone 3,300 cases have been reported.

There are four strains of the virus circulating the country, with almost half of all national sufferers in NSW. It's thought that because of international travel, strains can travel around the world more easily - when there's an outbreak in the southern hemisphere, it almost certainly travels to the northern hemisphere.

Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord says people suffering from flu symptoms are clogging up our hospital systems more and more.

"Emergency departments should be for heart attacks, car accidents, major trauma so when people get really really sick from the flu it puts an impact on our emergency departments and we have a situation where emergency departments around the state are at breaking point - I know that Calvary Mater Hospital has had a particularly difficult time with the flu season this year."

Walt Secord says our hospitals are struggling to meet demand and in the Hunter New England there are more flu-related ambulance arrivals than in Central Sydney.

"The Berejiklian government was caught completely unprepared - the outbreaks have put enormous pressure on the hospital system when they could have in fact embarked on a vaccination program to encourage people to get their vaccinations. So next year lets hope they get a vaccination program started around May so we can avoid this - the last thing we want to see is our hospitals chock full of people with flu symptoms."

Achoo! Worst flu month on record

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord has renewed his criticism of the Berejiklian Government after a massive jump in the number of flu cases in the Hunter and across the state.

We are just over half way through July, and already there's been more than 350 reported cases of influenza this month in the Hunter's hospitals and across the state there been a record4,085 reported cases to the official database for NSW Influenza notifications.

Walt Secord says the government were unprepared for the huge spike in influenza cases which he says has led to an increase in the number of "bed block" incidents.

"So you have a situation where patients wait at every stage, they wait for an ambulance, they wait for the emergency department and then they wait for a bed. Sadly the Berejiklian government has been caught unprepared for the flu season - we're on track to have one of the worst years on record for flu."

The flu season is smashing regional hospitals, particularly The Calvary Mater Hospital.

"Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle is one of the three hospitals that have been cited as being under enormous pressure so again Newcastle is also feeling the brunt of this flu season," said Walt Secord.

He adds while it may be too late for the government to do anything about it this flu season, there are things we can do ourselves.

"You can still get your flu shot - if you're feeling well you can get your flu shot. I had my flu shot in April and I haven't missed a moment of work so again there's still time to get your flu shot. August is usually seen as the high month, the worst time of the year so there's still time."

It snowed on Barrington Tops!

BY IAN CROUCH

There's been a light dusting of snow on the Barrington Tops overnight as a cold front sweeps through the Hunter.

The best of the snowfall was around Pol Blue, however sight seers might want to think again as it appears to be short-lived, with the snow quickly turning to sleet.

The Hunter is expecting cold and wet conditions today with showers hanging around for the next week.

Image journaltimes.com

Batten down the hatches!

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's about to get a whole lot colder in Newcastle but if you're in the Barrington Tops it's about to get freezing. 

Snow is predicted to fall on the Barrington Tops with an east coast low funnelling through the Hunter tonight bringing with it strong seas, cold wind and rain for most of the week.

Wind speeds will pick up tonight with cold temperatures, shower activity on the coastal fringe with some of the moisture landing on the high peaks of the Barrington Tops, big seas, and very cold wind chill factors which will combine to make the perfect conditions for snow on the high peaks.

"Well it looks like the east coast low will form, its going to hit us quite hard overnight and throughout tomorrow and then it looks like it's going to track north and its going to hug the northern NSW coast and that means we're going to be on the southern side of it and whenever you're on the southern side of a low that drives in those strong winds, the showers and the clouds," said NBN weather presenter Gavin Morris.

The first dusting of snow is being predicted for the Barrington Tops by tomorrow morning.

"Places along the coastal fringe exposed to those high wind areas, make sure you tie down everything including trampolines! Everybody forgets about them but they're usually the first to get lifted out of the backyard, check boats and moorings and all those sorts of things. Go and give them a check today to make sure they're all secure," said Gavin Morris.

Image journaltimes.com

Steer clear of the Hunter's beaches

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Hunter residents are being urged to steer clear of the beach over the next couple of days with waves expected to reach up to five metres today and tomorrow.

It's prompted warnings from Surf Lifesaving NSW to all beachgoers and rock fishermen around the region to stay away from all our beaches.

It comes as the Hunter prepares for the coldest day of the year so far, with temperatures only set to reach 18 degrees in some areas today - four degrees below average.