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Australia had its worst flu season on record. Is it a warning for Canada? - National | Globalnews.ca

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Australia recorded 352,532 confirmed cases of influenza this year , eclipsing the previous high of 313,615 cases in 2019 .

Flu vaccination rates in Australia have also steadily declined, with national data revealing a consistent drop over the past two years .

In Canada , flu watch data shows influenza A(H1N1) remains the most commonly-detected strain.

In Australia , the dominant flu strain this season was the A3N2, a subtype of influenza A known for causing more severe illness.

The most common reason for getting the flu shot was to prevent infection ( 23 per cent ), whereas most people agreed that the vaccine is safe ( 87 per cent ) 43 per cent of adults mistakenly believed that they could get the flu from the flu vaccine.

While current case numbers are low, Bogoch said cases will rise as the season progresses.