(MENAFN) Australia is grappling with its most severe flu season on record, having already reported more than 410,000 laboratory-confirmed cases this year, surpassing last year's peak of 365,000, according to data released Monday by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

The flu rate now stands at 1,525 cases per 100,000 people, marking an increase of nearly 11 percent compared to 2024, the RACGP said in a statement.

Children under five years old account for a disproportionately high share of infections, with over 44,500 cases—representing 10.9 percent of all reported flu cases. Additionally, more than one in three infections have occurred in children younger than 15, underscoring the strain on younger populations.

"This is not a record we want to be breaking, we must boost vaccination rates and reverse this trend," said RACGP President Michael Wright. He characterized the surge in flu cases as a critical warning for governments to accelerate free vaccination initiatives.

Despite the alarming rise in flu infections, vaccination uptake has stalled. Only 25.7 percent of children aged six months to five years and 60.5 percent of adults over 65 have received flu vaccines in 2025—both figures representing the lowest coverage rates since 2021 and 2020, respectively.

In response, health authorities in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia are set to introduce free intranasal flu vaccinations for children ahead of the 2026 season. The RACGP urges other states and territories to follow suit.

"Many kids are fearful of needles, which can stall vaccination efforts," Wright noted. "That's why needle-free vaccinations are a game changer."

He highlighted that intranasal flu vaccines have demonstrated safety and effectiveness abroad, with countries including Finland, Britain, Italy, and Spain employing them for years and achieving significant increases in vaccination rates among high-risk groups, he added.

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