A new health report has emerged highlighting RSV, influenza, and pertussis cases rising well before Australia’s winter season. With these factors in mind, health authorities have expressed their concerns about public vaccination rates and their impacts on respiratory region diseases.
Early Warning Signs: Influenza and Pertussis Cases Surge
Research conducted by Australian clinics shows an alarming increase in RSV, influenza, and pertussis infections. 2024 has already seen 54 thousand confirmed cases of influenza across Australia, marking a staggering 60% rise in cases relative to 2023. Furthermore, epidemiological data shows pertussis infections are on a steep upward trajectory, with case figures for the first quarter of 2024 tripling relative to the first quarter of 2023.
A More Severe Influenza Season: Lessons from the North
While Australia is marked as a high-risk region for a potential infectious outbreak, the country is not the only one with such concerns. 2023 marked the year with the harshest seasonal influenza wave in history, reaching its peak during summer. This was accompanied by a significant surge of cases reaching 41 million, chronic flu-related hospitalisations hitting the highest point on record of 540,000, and 23,000 deaths.
Although these developments are alarming for the majority of the Australian population, they also pose a new perspective for Australian residents. Following months of being shut down during the COVID pandemic, these studies might explain the unexpectedly low bronchiolitis wave during the winter months of 2022.
Interseasonal Activity: Influenza Cases Persist
“The upcoming season that ranges from June to September is typically marked by interseasonal activity for influenza, and as noted by Patrick Reading, a virologist from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, there has been widening interseasonal activity over the course of summer until early autumn in the southern hemisphere,” Reading stated. The end of summer and autumn generally does not provide too much risk, with plentiful periods of respite, but the faint peak in these months indicates the risk is exacerbated.
Increased Testing: A Factor in Rising Numbers?
Regardless of the cause, most experts agree that the number of infections is on the rise at an astonishing rate. Homaira explicitly drew attention to the fact that the reporting mechanism might have shifted and that due to the current pandemic scenario, diagnostic testing is made more available: “Because of the looming pandemic threat, people do want to figure out what they have been infected with,” Homaira explained.
Pertussis Outbreak: A Falloff in Vaccination Coverage
Australia is currently experiencing a severe outbreak of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, since the record began in 1991. Pertussis can be life-threatening for infants and young children. People who are expecting and children are offered vaccination resources without any charge but there is a noticeable decline in people receiving the vaccine, which raises concerns about controlling the spread of this disease that can be prevented.
Vaccination Woes: Meeting Goals
Concerns arising out of low vaccination rates prompted infectious disease physician Paul Gryphon, MD, from Mater Health Services in Brisbane, to weigh in. “We know that [the prevalence of] vaccination in pregnancy is probably in the 70%-80% range, which is well below where it needs to be,” Gryphon stated. He also emphasised the existence of “some pockets where vaccination is particularly challenging, where the uptake is much lower.”
RSV Surge: Early and Intense Activity
New South Wales (Australia), the most populated state, has been dealing with an ongoing spike in RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infections since the start of the year, particularly in children aged 1 year, adding to the trouble of already complex matters. “RSV activity has also started earlier than expected, so clearly there’s going to be some increased activity of RSV as well,” warned Homaira.
Utilisation-Focused Interventions Available
As it so happens, Australia is now offering a free vaccine for RSV to be administered during pregnancy. Two monoclonal antibody-based vaccines are also available for infants and toddlers. Gryphon highlighted the most effective approaches from now on should be focused on enforcing proper usage, saying, “The biggest difference with RSV now is we have so many interventions; we just have to focus on utilization.”
The Issue of Vaccination: A Primary Concern
Healthcare experts identify Australia’s worsening vaccination rates for influenza and pertussis as posing significant risk. Julie Leask, PhD, social scientist and public health educator at Sydney University, explained, citing her studies, that although a small drop in public trust in routine childhood vaccinations has been observed, in her estimation the most important factor driving lower vaccination numbers is accessibility problems.
Barriers to Access: Primary Care Challenges
Leask noted many things that have made access to vaccination services more difficult, such as “workforce barriers due to the pandemic, as well as funding models of general practice that have made general practitioners less accessible and general practice more expensive.” Primary care access challenges, combined with increased family economic strain relative to pre-pandemic 2025, are cumulatively lowering vaccination rates.
Healthcare Providers: A Vital Component in the Promotion of Vaccination
Leask further pointed out that most adults do not know they can get, or are supposed to receive, vaccinations for influenza. She advocated for the active promotion of vaccination by healthcare personnel, asserting, “I don’t think healthcare providers are recommending it as much as they could, and it’s one of those things that they need to be reminded that they have a very big impact on vaccination uptake.”
Measles Alert: Concerns Over Soporific Case Numbers
In addition to the focus of Australia’s attention on influenza, RSV, and pertussis, Australia is also on the lookout for potential outbreaks of measles. The country has reported sporadic cases of measles, with 50 cases in the first quarter of 2025. The WHO declared Australia free of measles in 2014, but declining rates of vaccination have created a window of vulnerability. Gryphon further warned, “Measles vaccination levels are now below those needed to achieve herd immunity, which increases the risk of local transmission.”
COVID-19: A Relatively Positive Note
The one positive piece of information is that Australia currently has a low notification rate of COVID-19. In addition, the average number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units has been on a downward trend for the past month.
Initiate Action and Stay Alert
The issue of public health Australia is addressing is very complicated and has the possibility for a triple threat of influenza, RSV, and pertussis. The declining vaccination rates and providing healthcare services equitably accessible are of utmost importance. In the months to come, Australians will require increased vigilance and proactive steps to safeguard the health of its citizens, which has now become critical.
