Following Australia's early and significant 2022 flu season, the Northern Hemisphere is also experiencing an early season of high influenza activity.
EU
The test positivity rate in the EU is 23 per cent – compared to less than five per cent last year, with some countries reporting influenza rates above the epidemic threshold. In the UK, the percentage of positive flu tests has increased to 26.4% overall and 40% for children aged 5-14.
In England, the first weekly winter update shows there were an average of 344 patients a day with flu in hospital last week, more than 10 times the number seen last year.
The UK Health Secretary has commented that COVID and Flu are putting massive pressure on their health system.
Confirmed cases in Germany have increased significantly in 5 weeks, from 3,000 to 56,000 weekly cases.
US
47 jurisdictions in the US have reported high or very high flu activity this season, with the percentage of positive flu tests jumping from 18.2% to 25.1% in a single week.
37% of children and 30% of adults tested positive for flu in Tennessee, while flu deaths in Arkansas have tripled compared to last year.
In the US, the CDC estimates there have been 20 million notifications, 210,000 hospitalisations and 13,000 deaths from flu so far this season. This includes 14 paediatric deaths.
The US hospitalisation rate at this point in the season is four times higher than any season in the last decade (since 2010-11).
These high rates of flu have seen an increased demand for vaccines in the UK, an unprecedented surge in hospitalisations in the US, and expert concerns of a potential 'tripledemic' of COVID, Flu and RSV.
Australian influenza epidemics are typically sparked by travellers visiting, or returning, from the Northern Hemisphere, so preparations are underway for Australia's 2023 flu season.
The World Health Organisation has already announced its recommendations on which influenza strains should be included in the 2023 Southern Hemisphere egg-based and cell-based vaccines. This marks the beginning of the 2023 vaccine manufacturing process, with Melbourne leading the world in the fight against flu.
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