Flu cases jump by more than 1000 but still relatively low say officials as state records nine more Covid deaths

Nine more South Australians have died with Covid as flu cases jump by more than 1000 in a week.

Covid cases are on the rise again, as the state recorded nine deaths of people with Covid on Wednesday.

SA Health said there were 2664 new cases, and nine deaths. A woman in her 60s, a woman in her 80s and one over 100, along with a man in his 70s, three in their 80s and two in their 90s, all of whom had Covid, have died.

There are 246 people in hospital with Covid, including eight in ICU.

Daily update of new infections, deaths and people in hospital with Covid-19

Meanwhile influenza cases in South Australia have soared by 1047 in a week as authorities urge the public to get vaccinated.

There have now been 3692 cases so far this year compared to just 16 at the same time last year.

Social distancing, lockdowns, increased focus on hygiene, working from home due to Covid, as well as the lack of international arrivals bringing in the flu from the northern hemisphere helped keep numbers low in 2020 and 2021.

The virus does not discriminate: 1771 men have caught it, 1921 women, and the ages of victims ranges from 0 to 101, with a median age of 18.

The flu has hit South Australia hard this season.

Fortunately no one has been reported as dying from the flu this year but 367 cases have required admission to hospital for treatment.

Despite the sudden rise, Communicable Disease Control Branch director Dr Louise Flood said “flu activity is relatively low so far this year” but warned numbers could rise dramatically at any time.

“The most important step people can take to protect against that flu is to get their flu annual vaccination to reduce not just the likelihood of catching influenza but also the risk of serious illness,” Dr Flood said.

Authorities are urging the public to get their flu vaccination. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

“We encourage everyone to continue practising good hand hygiene, wipe down surfaces, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your arm and stay home if you are sick.”

South Australians can get a free flu vaccination until June 30.

There are fears SA faces a “perfect storm” of Covid-19 and influenza this winter as flu numbers soar for the first time in three years on the back of an easing of social distancing restrictions and the return of international travel.

Almost one third of South Australians have now had Covid. On Wednesday, the state had recorded 554,174 Covid cases since the pandemic began.