Most flu deaths this century were recorded in 2025, ABS finds

The number of deaths involving influenza August-December 2025 were almost double the number of COVID-19 deaths. (Pexels)

In short:

There were about 1,701 deaths associated to influenza in 2025, the highest number recorded this century.

The number of COVID-19 deaths fell by more than half in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Since August last year there has been more deaths associated with the flu than COVID-19.

There were more deaths associated with influenza last year than any other year this century, according to the Australia Bureau of Statistics.

The number of deaths in Australia involving influenza has also been higher than deaths related to COVID-19 since August 2025, the bureau's latest report found.

The ABS released its latest data on deaths due to acute respiratory infections on Tuesday.

Last year, there were about 2,161 deaths involving COVID-19 and 1,701 deaths involving influenza.

There were also about 582 deaths associated with RSV, which was about a hundred more than in 2024.

Epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said the emergence of a new flu variant H3N2, known as Subclade K, has contributed to the higher rates of death.

"We had the highest rates that we'd seen for a long time continuing right through December and into January," Professor Bennett said.

Flu replaces COVID-19 summer peak in 2025

The coronavirus has been the leading cause of deaths relating to acute respiratory infection between 2023 and 2025.

But there was sharp decline in COVID-19 deaths last year, with the number falling by more than half.

A total 2,161 people died of COVID-19, compared with 5,108 in 2024.

According to the ABS there has been a pattern of two peaks of mortality surrounding COVID-19 since the end of 2021.

One peak is between November and January, and the other comes between May and August.