Outback Family Medicine’s Dr Margaret Culpon said her surgery had been forced to increase the number of patients it saw each day to keep up with demand.

“We’re seeing 50 people a day at the moment and we usually only see 30,” she said.

“We’re having to squeeze more in because of the amount of people with tummy bugs and chest infections. We’re in the middle of what they’re calling down south the influenza epidemic.”

Barkly Medical Centre’s Dr Lola Power said the surgery had been incredibly busy dealing with patients who had been sick for prolonged periods of time.

“It has been quite extensive here and people have been ill for up to five weeks,” she said.

“These viruses are spread by droplets such as coughing and sneezing. We’ve had a lot of people displaying flu-like symptoms such as aches and pains along with a secondary bacterial chest infection.”

Dr Culpon said most patients were presenting with reports of fevers, aches and pains as well as viral and influenza.

“Generally people are vomiting for a day or two and then getting the muscle aches and pains and then the head colds,” she said.

“It is important that people stay away from work when they’re sick so they don’t spread their illness through the business.

“We need to try and keep it as contained as possible. The best advice I can give is to get plenty of rest and to keep the fluids up.”