Influenza Statistics
Get the latest Australian influenza figures, sourced from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)
Influenza Activity Surveillance & Graph 2026
Click on the icon for a graph of statistics.
This report provides a summary of influenza surveillance data collected from around Australia and New Zealand. Regional reporting in some areas ceases when influenza activity is low (out of season). Please note that many people do not get tested for influenza and that there may also be some delays in reporting confirmed influenza cases.
Therefore data presented here may be underestimating influenza activity.
National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)
Update for 11 May 2026
It is important to note that data reported from the various influenza surveillance systems may not represent an accurate reflection of influenza activity. There may be some delays in the reporting systems. Also, many who become unwell with influenza-like symptoms do not present to their doctor and are not tested for influenza.
Results should be interpreted with caution.
National notification data (NNDSS):
There have been 30,118 notifications of laboratory confirmed influenza reported to the NNDSS in the year to 11 May 2026.
Total notifications from each state and territory are as follows:
| ACT | 325 |
| NSW | 10,678 |
| NT | 600 |
| QLD | 9,127 |
| SA | 1,758 |
| TAS | 322 |
| VIC | 5,473 |
| WA | 1,835 |
For more national data: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)
Australian Influenza Surveillance Report
https://nindss.health.gov.au/pbi-dashboard
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National Vaccination Coverage Rates
Influenza vaccination is recommended for all Australians aged 6 months and older. Flu vaccination reporting to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is mandatory allowing coverage rates to be monitored.
For more information visit NCIRS here
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Australian Capital Territory
Please note: ACT weekly reporting for 2025 has ended. The weekly report will start again in the autumn and winter months in 2026, when the ACT is likely to see an increase in respiratory illnesses again. An annual summary report for 2025 will be published in early 2026.
Reporting period Friday 24 October 2025 to Thursday 30 October 2025 inclusive.
Total influenza cases:
- Current reporting period: 68
- 2025 total: 7,826
- Rate per 100,000 for reporting period: 14.3
For more information:
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New South Wales
Weekly influenza information is available in the COVID-19 weekly surveillance report.
Week ending 2 May 2026
Influenza is at a low level of activity
Summary:
- Influenza is at a low level of activity.
- In the past week there was an increase of 1.8% in influenza notifications.
- For more information: NSW Health – Respiratory Surveillance Reports
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Queensland
5 May 2026
- Eight people were in hospital with Influenza, two (25%) were aged 65 years and above.
- 139 people diagnosed in the last week, 15 (11%) were aged 65 years or more.
For more information: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/surveillance/reports/flu
QLD Health – Notifiable Diseases
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South Australia
Update for the week ending at 2 May 2026:
Count of influenza notifications in the week ending 2 May 2026: 45
For more information: Communicable Diseases Control Branch
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Tasmania
Week ending 26 April 2026
Summary
- Influenza activity remains low at inter-seasonal levels.
Influenza notifications for week ending 26 April: 8
2026 YTD influenza notifications: 398
For more information: https://www.health.tas.gov.au/publications/respiratory-surveillance-report
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Victoria
14 April 2026
Victoria, local public health areas and local government areas surveillance summary report
Total influenza cases (YTD): 5,628
For more information: Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory or Victorian State Health Department
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Western Australia
Week ending 3 May 2026
Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary:
- In the past week, influenza notifications remained low and stable at 34 notifications
- Influenza PCR test positivity at PathWest remains low at 0.4% in the past week
- PathWest reported five influenza detections in the past week, comprising two A/H1, one influenza B and two influenza A not yet subtyped. These detections accounted for 15% of statewide influenza notifications.
For more information: WA Virus WAtch
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FluTracking and New Zealand
FluTracking
FluTracking is an online health surveillance system which aims to detect epidemics of influenza. It is a joint initiative of The University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Area Health Service (NSW Health) and Hunter Medical Research Institute. Participation is voluntary and involves the completion of a weekly online survey during the influenza season. Data are collected on basic demographics, symptoms of ILI and absenteeism.
Reporting week Monday 27 April 2026 – Sunday 03 May 2026
(Data used in this report received up to 09:00 AM, Thursday 07 May 2026)
Summary:
- Respiratory illness levels have decreased this week
- 45425 participants this week
Respiratory illness activity* (age standardised):
*Respiratory illness activity is defined as fever & cough for this report
0.9% this week and 1% last week
Respiratory illness activity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants:
1% this week and 0.4% last week
Respiratory illness severity:
Sought medical advice for fever and cough symptoms: 25.4% (73/287) this report* compared to 29.5% last report.
*Includes those who sought medical advice from a general practitioner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health clinic, COVID-19 clinic, emergency department, or were admitted to hospital for fever and cough.
Flu Tracking: For more information, or to enroll: Flu Tracking
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New Zealand
3 May 2026
Summary
The national rate for ILI-related Healthline calls has increased in the week ending 3 May 2026 but is similar to this time in 2025. Te Waipounamu, followed by Central, has had the highest weekly rates of ILI-related Healthline calls.
Respiratory virus detections are very low across most laboratories, but rhinovirus/enterovirus, influenza, and RSV are among the viruses most commonly being detected. Please also note that FluTracking has been paused in New Zealand from January 2026.
Three respiratory illness outbreaks were reported from 27 April to 3 May 2026. Two outbreaks were in aged residential care facilities and had an unknown pathogen (one in Bay of Plenty and one in Southern). One outbreak was in a childcare centre and had influenza detected (in Southern district).
The weekly all-cause hospitalisation rate for SARI in the Auckland region increased to the baseline seasonal threshold in the week ending 3 May. The rate is similar to this time in previous years. Recent testing process changes at Auckland-based hospitals have affected the number of viruses being tested for routinely for some SARI patients. influenza, RSV and COVID-19 testing is not impacted by this change. Of the samples that have been received for 2026, rhinovirus has predominated (157 samples), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (48 samples). The influenza-positive SARI hospitalisation rate remains below the seasonal threshold and lower than this time in 2023-2025.
The SARS-CoV-2-positive SARI hospitalisation rate remains low and stable. This does not necessarily reflect the trend in all COVID-19 related hospital admissions monitored by Health New Zealand, as different definitions for admission are used: https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/for-health-professionals/data-and-statistics/covid-19/reporting . PHF Science’s wastewater dashboard indicates a decrease in community SARS-CoV-2 infection over the past four weeks; among variants, NB.1.8.1 predominates (https://www.phfscience.nz/digital-library/wastewater-dashboard/).
Note that the results presented are based on data available as at 7 May 2026. These may be updated as more data become available and should be regarded as provisional.