8 flu facts about the 2018 season

Australia has escaped a repeat of last year’s deadly flu season with a relatively low infection rate so far.

There were 3789 laboratory-confirmed cases in July, almost 30,000 fewer than in July 2017, according to the latest federal health department surveillance system.

Here are eight key surveillance findings:

1. Rhinovirus was the most common cause of influenza-like illness (ILI) among patients presenting to sentinel GPs in the last two weeks of July. Only 6.5% of the 123 patients tested for flu had the infection.
2. GP consultations for ILI