More than 1,200 cases of flu were reported to SA Health last week, the greatest number reported in a single week since 2009’s swine flu pandemic.
SA Health has warned the state’s flu season is yet to peak.
Health Minister Jack Snelling said in a single day SA Health received more than 300 reports.
“This is an exceptional number of flu notifications and highlights the severe flu season we are currently experiencing,” Mr Snelling said.
“The number of flu cases we have seen in the past week is also very close to what we saw in 2009 during the swine flu pandemic, when there was a record of approximately 1,500 flu notifications in the space of a week.”
So far this year, South Australia has recorded 10,755 flu notifications compared with 6,128 notifications at the same time last year and 11,050 cases for 2014.
SA Health chief medical officer Professor Paddy Phillips said South Australia was seeing flu cases continue to increase despite a downturn in flu notifications across the country.
“South Australia is yet to reach the peak of the flu season, and while early indications from other states show we may start to see notifications ease over the coming weeks, people must remain vigilant,” Professor Phillips said.
He encouraged people to still consider getting a flu shot and to help stop the spread of flu by practicing good hand hygiene and covering a cough or sneeze.