Australia's Flu Season Calmly Fades Away

Australia's Department of Health and Aged Care's report No. 9 recently confirmed some good news regarding the 2023 flu season.

Influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity in the community has stabilized in the last fortnight (2-weeks), while ILI presentations to ASPREN sentinel general practitioners have decreased as of August 6, 2023.

And there is currently not enough information to comprehensively assess the potential severity of the 2023 influenza season at this time, stated this report.

Since seasonal surveillance commenced in April 2023, 173 (7%) ICU admissions and 194 influenza-related deaths have occurred.

Furthermore, of the 2,449 samples referred during 2023, 98% of influenza A(H1N1) isolates, 83% of influenza A(H3N2) isolates, and 99% of influenza B/Victoria isolates characterized were antigenically similar to the corresponding vaccine components.

However, it is too early to assess influenza vaccine effectiveness for this flu season.