A four-year-old girl is one of 72 Queenslanders who have died from flu so far this year and experts warn the worst is yet to come.
Records show 4,162 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with flu since January, more than 1,000 more than in all of 2019.
The surge has been attributed to vaccine hesitancy following the Covid pandemic.
Only 10 percent of hospitalized patients have received the flu vaccine, even though the state government makes it free.
Of the 72 deaths recorded so far, 13 were between 40 and 64 years old, while 58 were over 65 years old.
The four-year-old girl was the only child death recorded, as there are 670 children hospitalized with flu.
The remaining hospitalizations included 1,584 adults between the ages of 18 and 65 and 1,908 older adults.
Only 1,686,800 Queenslanders aged six months or older have received the flu vaccine, approximately 30 per cent of the eligible population.
State Health Minister Shannon Fentiman urged Queenslanders to get their free flu vaccinations as the jabs were even available at Brisbane’s Ekka show.
Queensland flu outbreak claims life of four-year-old girl and 71 others
State Health Minister Shannon Fentiman (pictured) has urged Queenslanders to get their free flu vaccination.
Queensland is the only Australian state offering free flu vaccinations, but only 28 per cent of the population has received the vaccine.
The program has cost taxpayers $47 million over the past two years.
Ms Fentiman warned the state is “potentially weeks away from seeing the worst of the flu season”.
“I’m calling on all Queenslanders to get their free flu vaccine,” he said on Sunday.
‘No one wants to see their child or loved one hospitalized, and we know that vaccination makes a big difference when it comes to the risk of being hospitalized with the flu.
“This doubling of hospitalisations is worrying for our youngest children in Queensland and I am calling on parents across the state to get vaccinated and get their children vaccinated.”
Ms Fentiman said the vaccine was made free after two “terrible flu seasons” in 2022 and 2023.
“You can get your flu vaccine for free at the pharmacy, at your GP and even at Ekka,” he said.
Only 1,686,800 Queenslanders aged six months or older have received the flu vaccine, about 30 per cent of the eligible population.
Records show 4,162 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with flu since January and the rise is blamed on vaccine hesitancy following the Covid pandemic.
First Minister Steven Mile said it was “very worrying” to see the sharp rise in children being hospitalised with flu.
“It is absolutely critical that everyone who can gets vaccinated against flu, to help protect the most vulnerable people in our community,” she said.
“That’s why we’ve made the flu vaccine free, so cost isn’t a barrier to staying safe and healthy.”
