Last year's nasty flu season so overwhelmed the health care system in Queensland that more than half of the critically ill patients who showed up at hospital were forced to wait for hours before being admitted.

"Paramedics and our emergency department clinicians worked tirelessly last year to make sure critically ill people were seen on time," said Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles in a statement.  "But the surge in flu patients did make things more difficult."

Queensland documented more than 55,723 flu patients in 2017, which is more than three times higher than the five-year average.  The health department says 57 percent of those who sought treatment at hospital emergency departments had to wait for four or more hours before they were admitted.