Record flu season fuels fears of SuperK spread in aged care

Dr Nicholas Woods, Chief Medical Officer at Bupa, one of Australia’s largest residential aged care providers, says the Super K flu strain is driving unusually high flu activity.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows flu deaths have been unseasonably high in recent months, well before the peak winter season. In December, 133 deaths from flu were recorded, compared with 16 a year earlier, and 101 were recorded in January, up from 37 the previous year.

In 2025, more than 1,700 people died in Australia from flu, making it the deadliest flu season since Spanish flu more than a century ago. There have already been more than 24,000 flu cases this year, well before the winter peak. 

After the Super K flu strain dominated flu cases in the Northern Hemisphere winter, and Dr Woods has urged early vaccination here.

“High flu activity combined with low vaccination rates will make this flu season extremely dangerous and potentially deadly for high-risk groups, including the elderly and children,” Dr Woods said.  

“We cannot afford to be complacent or ignore the warning signs. Super K is spreading earlier and faster than flu strains seen in previous seasons.

“Getting the flu vaccine can save lives, especially in a high-risk season like this.”

In February, the WA Government launched a $140 million campaign to prevent a repeat of the state’s worst-ever flu season last year, with a $20 million Trsnsition Care Program at Home and offering free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations for aged care residents.

Australians aged 65 and over can access flu vaccinations for free.