The flu season appears to be peaking in Queensland, with the state recording 3,050 cases in the past week—the highest number of reports documented in a single week this year.
The week also included 250 hospitalisations, a sharp rise from the 129 cases the week before, and the 112 one week before that.
Cases of the flu are expected to rise sharply as winter peaks, having already eclipsed total cases for the same time last year by 17 percent.
“We are expecting flu hospitalisations to overtake COVID-19 hospitalisations in coming weeks,” Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr. Heidi Carroll said in a statement.
“There was an average of 165 beds occupied by people hospitalised with COVID-19 across the state last week.”
Hospitalisations for the flu have included people as young as 18.
The majority of the 84 flu-related deaths were among elderly people, who are especially vulnerable.
Of those deaths, 12 patients were aged between 18–64.
Queensland has not reported any COVID-19 deaths in 2025.
An anticipated increase in flu cases is being blamed in part on Queensland students returning to school.
“Children are more likely to catch and spread influenza, contributing to transmission in the community, but also young children are vulnerable to serious illness from the flu,” Carroll said.
“While more than 32,600 lab-confirmed flu cases have been recorded in Queensland this year—we know the actual number of flu cases in the community are much higher—and flu is spreading.”
Despite the flu vaccine being free in Queensland, vaccination uptake is lower in the state than the national average for all age groups.
About the Flu
The flu season in Queensland generally stretches from May to September, with an increase commonly noted in August.Symptoms can include a fever, sore throat, dry cough, headache, muscle and joint pain and fatigue.
Certain symptoms, like head and body aches, are more common in a flu than a cold, while common cold symptoms like a running nose are rarer in flu cases.
The elderly can also be affected differently by the flu, and may exhibit signs of confusion, shortness of breath, and the worsening of any existing chronic conditions.
