SYDNEY — The health authority in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Thursday issued a warning over the surge of flu virus cases, calling on people aged 65 and over to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The latest NSW Health Respiratory Surveillance Report showed that in the week ending June 8, the test positivity for influenza, which is a key indicator of activity, increased from 9.6 percent to 11.2 percent, with the total number of confirmed cases reaching 6,355.

With influenza, COVID-19, and the respiratory syncytial virus all circulating statewide, the NSW Ministry of Health also urged locals to avoid visiting high-risk settings including hospitals and aged care facilities, if they are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness

"Flu is rapidly increasing across the state. In the past week alone, presentations to our emergency departments increased by almost 22 percent for people with influenza-like illness," said NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant.

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Chant stressed that it was of particular importance for people aged 65 and above to receive vaccination, as they are at higher risk of severe illness and the state's vaccination rates for this group have not yet reached the desired level.

"At present, just half of the people 65 and over or 52.4 percent in NSW have received their flu vaccine," the health officer noted.

With influenza, COVID-19, and the respiratory syncytial virus all circulating statewide, the NSW Ministry of Health also urged locals to avoid visiting high-risk settings including hospitals and aged care facilities, if they are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness.

According to the Australian Center for Disease Control, the peak of the flu season most commonly occurs between June and September each year in Australia.

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"While it's too early to know for certain how severe our 2024 flu season will be, there have already been more than 37,700 laboratory-confirmed cases across Australia this year, up 40 percent over the same period last year," Paul Kelly, head of the center, said in a statement released in late April