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Brits across the country are reeling from the killer H3N2 strain following a surge of “Aussie flu” cases over the weekend.

The strain has spread to almost all areas of the UK now, with the City of London and Ilford the only places yet to see any reported cases, according to FluSurvey.

Churches in Northern Ireland even moved to temporarily ban the “sign of peace” handshake due to the risk of infection.

Meanwhile, across the English Channel, France has been hit by an “influenza epidemic” after 12,000 people visited emergency departments over Christmas.

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Already, the virus has been linked to more than 30 deaths and 1,250 have been kept in hospitals for treatment.

The French Ministry of Health warned “the influenza epidemic is of an exceptional magnitude, by the number of cases, which risks exceeding those of the last two years”.

Professor Robert Dingwall, a flu expert at Nottingham Trent University told The Sun Online Brits needed to prepare for the crisis to “get worse before it gets better”.

(Image: GETTY)

He said: “We have good reason to think it could be the worst winter for ten to 15 years, if not decades.

“GPs are seeing a lot more flu after opening again after Christmas. We have every reason to suppose we will see more cases probably more severe cases, and probably more deaths.”

He added: “The French are having real problems and we are likely to see the same here within weeks.”