Regions where flu is spreading in Victoria

Influenza almost disappeared last year but it made a resurgence after Covid lockdowns ended. See how your area compares.

EXCLUSIVE: The Casey local government area which takes in the suburbs of Cranbourne West, Clyde, Berwick and Hallam has recorded the highest number of influenza cases in the state this year.

More than 2200 cases of the virus have been recorded in these suburbs, twice as many infections as other areas where there has been a high incidence.

Greater Geelong had the second highest number of influenza cases at 1301.

Wyndham has recorded 1154 cases so far this year, the Mornington Peninsula 1012 cases and Melton experienced 8709 cases.

Victoria has recorded the second highest number of influenza cases in the country so far this year.

There have been 34,414 cases of influenza in Victoria so far this year compared to over 105,000 in NSW.

Nationally, data shows influenza peaked in May and June.

There were 187,431 cases of influenza recorded in Australia in the year to July 3 and 113 influenza-associated deaths.

Since April there have been 1323 hospital admissions due to influenza reported and 6.5 per cent of flu patients were admitted directly to ICU.

To date, more than eight in 10 (82.8 per cent) of the laboratory-confirmed cases have been influenza A — a variant that is covered by this year’s flu jab.

In addition to Covid and the flu, other viruses are also circulating at high rates in the state.

There have been almost 8000 cases of Respiratory Synctial Virus (RSV) recorded so far this year.

RSV is a common cold like virus most children catch before the age of two and it was recently made a notifiable disease because it can cause bronchiolitis, pneumonia and occasionally death.

Alongside the flu it is the most important reason for children going to hospital for a respiratory virus.

We’re nearly in August but you can still get your flu shot. Picture Getty Images

Ten per cent of young children and the elderly who catch it end up in hospital.

It is not too late to get your flu vaccine from your GP or pharmacists.

Aussies have been urged to voluntarily mask up and work from home if sick to avoid the flu, common cold, RSV and Covid, which is on the rise around the country.

Only four in 10 Australians have had their flu jab this year and rates are even lower in children aged under five.

Fewer than one in three children aged under five have had their flu injection even though the illness can have worse outcomes for them than Covid

Infectious diseases expert Professor Robert Booy a member of the Immunisation Coalition said it was not too late to get a flu vaccination.

“Even if you’ve had the flu, you should still get the jab,” he said.

“One dose of flu doesn’t mean you can’t get a second dose because there are four different varieties that the vaccine could protect you against.”

In children, both types of H1N1 and H3N2 are problematic at the moment, Professor Booy said.

“Vaccines have been free for children aged under five for a long time. You can’t get a Covid vaccine under five but you can get a flu jab, and it’s more serious in children under five that Covid. So there’s really an imperative and importance of promoting vaccination in children under five.”