Your Health GP Dr Thevashangar Vasuthevan urges residents to get the Influenza jab

According to NSW Health data, Influenza has overtaken COVID-19 as the leading virus in the health district, with 181 cases as of the week ending July 8.

In comparison, there were 104 recorded cases of COVID in the same time period and 147 RSV cases.

So far this year there have been 1776 reported cases of influenza across the state, with Influenza B claiming the lives of several people across the nation in recent weeks, more recently a 37-year-old Canberra father.

Your Health GP Dr Thevashangar Vasuthevan is urging residents to get the jab, regardless of their age.

"People should consider immunising against Influenza now because, while I have seen cases, I think there will be a lot more on the way in the coming weeks," Dr Vasuthevan said.

"Influenza A is going to be the most common one, but I think we may get some Influenza B later on too. Both are equally dangerous," he said.

"Certainly from my observations, I've seen more cases of Influenza than what I saw last year and a lot less cases of COVID-19.

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"I think the reason Influenza is particularly dangerous this time around is because less people are using respiratory protection due to the relaxation of COVID rules. Our immunity is down as a result, therefore we're prone to get sicker.

"The immunisation rates have also dropped, especially among the younger population. I've seen children and those over 65 getting the shot, but not so much those between 12 and 60."

Dr Vasuthevan says he isn't surprised Influenza cases have overtaken COVID-19.

"I think the records for COVID have decreased because more people are doing rat tests which doesn't add to any recorded data.

"I also think most people are immunised against COVID but aren't against Influenza, thus the rise in figures.

"But from what I have seen on the ground, I think Influenza cases have also been under recorded," Dr Vasuthevan said.

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