Doctors pushing again for free flu shots for all

Doctors are making a renewed push for influenza shots to be free of charge for all Australians. It comes as statistics show the 2017 flu season on track to be the biggest on record.

Australia's winter flu outbreak spikes early in season Source: Getty Images

Over the past 10 years, the number of lab-confirmed flu cases has gone through peaks and troughs.

 

From little over 10,000 in 2007, it climbed to more than 90,000 last year.

 

The highest number of cases in a year so far was in 2015, with more than 100,000 recorded.

 

So far this year, just over 75,000 infections have been confirmed, easily above the numbers at the same stage that year.