Overview
- Australian winter data show a record influenza wave with cases up 70% year over year, more than 18,000 notifications by July, and hospitalizations rising 50% in two weeks.
- Local reports say South Australia recorded 5,866 ambulance waiting hours in July as influenza vaccination remained below 30%.
- Italian expert Fabrizio Pregliasco expects co-circulation of influenza A H1N1 and B Victoria alongside RSV and SARS‑CoV‑2, noting the vaccine closely matches the anticipated strains.
- Italy’s Health Ministry set the flu campaign to begin in early October with free shots for priority groups and a target of at least 75% coverage among at‑risk people.
- Vaccination last season reached 53.3% in over‑65s and 18.9% overall; experts urge broader uptake, estimating 15–25% of Italians could be affected, while Matteo Bassetti warns 15–20 million infections are possible if last year’s epidemic pattern repeats.