“Breaking this record is not something we aspire to,” emphasized Michael Wright, the president of the RACGP, as he called for an increase in Australia’s vaccination rates.

James McCaw, a mathematical biology professor at the University of Melbourne, highlighted that the actual number of infections is uncertain. He explained that likely fewer than 1 in 100 people who contract the virus are officially reported.

“These variables fluctuate yearly, with a general upward trend over the last decade. As a result, more individuals are being documented as cases once they become infected,” he noted.

“These factors change every year, with generally increasing trends over the past decade — so people are becoming more and more likely to end up recorded as a case given that there were infected.”

“The increased case numbers are good news in that we may have a slightly better picture of how the virus is spreading.”

“And then … if fewer people are getting it but they’re sicker, are we calling that worse?”

How many people were hospitalised with flu?

Other states and territories’ reports differ in reporting practices. SBS News has sought national data on hospitalisations from the federal Department of Health.

Drop in vaccination rates a concern

“Needle-free vaccinations make such a difference.”