Flu deaths hit a record high in 2025, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The number of deaths involving influenza during 2025 was the highest recorded for any year this century, with 1,701 deaths where influenza was the direct cause or a contributor. This is a stark increase from 1,045 in 2024 and 611 in 2023. But here's where it gets controversial: while the ABS attributes the increase to the emergence of a new, fast-spreading H3N2 variant, some experts argue that plateauing flu vaccination rates may also be to blame. The figures also show an unseasonably high mortality rate in November and December, with 95 and 119 deaths respectively, while in January 2026, 63 influenza-related deaths were recorded. The H3N2 variant, known as subclade K, emerged towards the end of winter and was a leading cause of respiratory-related deaths in Australia in August. First detected in Australia and New Zealand, it has circulated widely and spread to more than 30 countries by the end of last year. The 2026 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine will contain an updated H3N2 component, according to Professor Patrick Reading, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza at the Doherty Institute. 'It is always a bit of a race to update the vaccine to give it the best chance of inducing immune responses that provide effective protection during our influenza season next year,' Professor Reading said. But this is the part most people miss: while the vaccine is crucial, it's not the only factor in preventing flu deaths. Other acute respiratory infections, such as COVID and RSV, also contributed to the high death toll in 2025. So, what do you think? Do you agree with the ABS's attribution of the increase in flu deaths to the new H3N2 variant? Or do you think plateauing flu vaccination rates are a bigger issue? Let us know in the comments below!
