<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia has broken its record for the highest number of yearly </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/flu" rel="" target="_blank" title="flu-related deaths"><span>flu-related deaths</span></a><span> this century.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The nation recorded 1701 deaths related to influenza in 2025, according to </span><a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/deaths-due-acute-respiratory-infections-australia/jan-2026" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="new data"><span>new data</span></a><span> from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That figure was up from 1045 in 2024 and 611 in 2023, and surpassed the previous 21st-century record high of 1656 in 2017.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-state-of-the-union-address-live-updates-latest-politics-news-headlines/3521c95d-716b-49a9-9e8c-f89b6c89cef4" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump State of the Union address</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's very concerning because these numbers don't lie," Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) president Dr Michael Wright told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"People are dying from influenza and many of these deaths would be preventable."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Flu-related deaths last year peaked in July with 328 deaths before another spike in December with 119 deaths.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/record-flu-deaths-australia-highest-this-century/c40c04e2-3a0a-4213-a24d-0c409096de52" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“Compared to recent prior seasons, in 2025 there were higher-than-normal case numbers from January to April, a prolonged June to August peak, followed by a slower decline in cases across September to December,” an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) spokesperson told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“In addition, an unusual secondary increase in influenza cases occurred from October to December, outside of the typical Australian influenza season.”</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addition, an unusual secondary increase in influenza cases occurred from October to December, outside of the typical Australian influenza season</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NSW recorded the highest number of flu-related deaths at 404.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/inflation-australia-january-2026-cpi-interest-rates-implications/6b382a95-929e-4fda-9d88-1df3ed7cc0b0" target="_blank"><strong><span>Inflation comes in hotter than expected again, raising chance of interest rate hike</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victoria followed with 387 deaths, then Queensland with 284.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unusually high rate is likely the result of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/flu-rates-rising-despite-spring-right-around-the-corner/cmewnfgh2000p0hpucuabfv53" rel="" target="_blank" title="record high flu case numbers"><span>record high flu case numbers</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 500,000 lab-confirmed cases of influenza were recorded last year, according to data from the </span><a href="https://www.cdc.gov.au/diseases/surveillance-systems-and-networks/national-notifiable-diseases-surveillance-system-nndss" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS)."><span>National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS).</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While flu cases have skyrocketed post-COVID, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/health/australia-flu-vaccination-health/767ffef9-0b03-44e7-9d31-68d29b6c2b62" rel="" target="_blank" title="vaccination rates have stalled"><span>vaccination rates have stalled</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-evacuated-from-the-lodge-in-canberra-due-to-security-incident/998ef480-4ad4-4cba-a05c-859eed9d64e5" target="_blank"><strong><span>Anthony Albanese 'all good' after being evacuated from official residence in Canberra over security scare</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Older people and children under the age of five are at increased risk of flu-related death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But barely 25 per cent of children aged six months to five years were vaccinated against influenza in 2025.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And only 60.5 per cent of people over the age of 65 were vaccinated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They're the lowest rates of vaccination among those populations since 2021 and 2020 respectively.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australians with chronic health conditions like diabetes, lung disease, and heart disease are also at increased risk.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But a growing number of Aussies are opting out of receiving the potentially life-saving flu vaccine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Since COVID-19 there's what you'd almost call a bit of vaccine hesitancy, and there is some misinformation where people are questioning the need for vaccines," Wright said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But the best way to keep yourself safe, and older vulnerable people as well as infants and young people, is to make sure you get vaccinated."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The CDC spokesperson agreed getting an annual flu vaccination offers the best protection.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It will be easier for some people to receive the flu vaccine this year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/flu-vaccine-spray-queensland-nasal-spray-flu-vaccine-to-be-rolled-out-for-kids-in-queensland-next-year/b5e2721b-e120-4941-bc86-c9aeb9272922" rel="" target="_blank" title="nasal spray vaccine"><span>nasal spray vaccine</span></a><span> for kids under five will be rolled out in Queensland ahead of this year's flu season, with other states to follow.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wright is hopeful it will help boost vaccination numbers in under-fives and said the best hope to reduce flu-related deaths in 2026 was to increase the nation's vaccination rate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He urged Australians hesitant about receiving the flu vaccine in 2026 to speak with a healthcare professional and debunked the myth that the flu isn't "that bad".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"More than 1500 people died last year from influenza, so it's not just a cold," Wright said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google 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