October 1, 2025
Influenza deaths in the first seven months of 2025 are worse than for the same period in 2019 – the most recent severe flu year – according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Provisional mortality statistics revealed 753 influenza deaths were recorded between January and July 2025.
Influenza claimed 258 lives in July 2025 alone, the highest monthly toll since September 2017.
“These numbers are a wake-up call,” Australian College of Nursing spokesperson Frances Rice said.
“While attention has focused on COVID-19 in recent years, influenza remains a deadly disease that we have effective vaccines against. We cannot afford to be complacent.”
The ABS data showed that women were disproportionately affected, with 396 female deaths compared with 357 male deaths so far in 2025.
Older Australians were particularly vulnerable, with the majority of deaths occurring in people aged 70 years or above.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people also face heightened risks, with 29 flu-related deaths recorded in 2025 and mortality rates higher than non-Indigenous Australians.
Ms Rice said community-based, nurse-led clinics with rotating locations, extended hours and drop-in appointments would make vaccination more accessible.
“We must intervene now before vaccination rates slide further and more preventable deaths occur,” she said.
