Call to join in national flu map

Don't share your germs, but do share your flu-status online for a national influenza map.

Flutracking.net, the largest online influenza-like illness surveillance system in the world, is designed to alert health officials to epidemic outbreaks of the potentially life-threatening disease.

Australians are asked to complete a 10-second online survey, every Monday morning from May until October, about whether they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

The information allows health professionals to see where flu is hitting hardest and gauge its severity.

More than 18,000 people last year took part in the survey and organisers hope to add another 3000 in 2015.

Register at www.flutracking.net.