Residents in the City of Casey are being encouraged to protect themselves against the flu, as new data paints the Victorian LGA as an influenza hot spot.
Casey holds the highest number of flu cases so far this year in Victoria, with 1373 lab confirmed cases as of Friday 3 June.
Influenza cases are also high in Greater Geelong with 941 cases and Wyndham with 705 cases, while fellow Southeastern LGAs Cardinia and Greater Dandenong have recorded 326 and 240 cases this year, respectively.
As of Friday 3 June there have been a total of 18,964 flu cases throughout Victoria this year, according to the Department of Health.
This is compared to just 110 cases last year and 4792 in 2020.
Prior to the pandemic, Victoria recorded 69,599 influenza infections in 2019- the country’s worst flu season on record- and 11,622 infections in 2018.
On Wednesday 2 June, it was announced Victorians would be eligible for a free flu shot under a $33 million State Government program aimed at stifling peaking flu cases.
“This will be the first time in two years that we will face a real flu season – we need all Victorians to roll up their sleeves and help protect their loved ones and our health system by getting vaccinated.” Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said.
Australian Medical Association vice president Dr Chris Moy said Australians need to take care to avoid being complacent this flu season.
“The history of flus is that after light flu seasons, we get a really bad one, and certainly we haven’t had one for the last two seasons, so we’ll get some characteristics about it,” he told ABC Breakfast earlier in the week.
Free flu vaccines are available at pharmacies and GP clinics, with nearly two million Victorians rolling up their sleeves to receive the jab as of Monday 30 May.
