Nearly 20,000 people nationwide have been diagnosed with the flu, with experts predicting the death toll to reach 4,000.

With 49 people dead from the flu in NSW alone, the toll is set to rise.

Marked as the worst flu season yet, doctors are urging people to get the flu shot. - by Jacqueline Mey

As the death toll climbs, NSW alone has had 49 flu related deaths and winter has only just begun.

26 deaths in in South Australia have also been ruled as flu related with Doctors urging those to take precautions.

In Queensland 25 people have died from influenza.

With this set to be the worst flu season yet, a total (in NSW) of 2,345 newly confirmed flu cases have been recorded since June 2, six of those recorded have already died.

The NSW Health and Influenza Surveillance report which was made public a week ago said that those six deaths were people aged 60 and older.

Since January this year a total of 17,307 confirmed cases of the flu have been reported nationwide.

Last year a confirmed total of 17,439 were reported in which 40 people died of influenza, included two children under five.

Reported flu cases are already four times higher with experts warning the death toll will well and truly rise above last years. Meanwhile authorities are battling a nationwide flu vaccine shortage.

12.1 million doses of the vaccine already distributed and 400,0000 extra doses are headed this way to meet the demand.

With free flu vaccines distributed around the nation health authorities are urging people 65 and over, pregnant women, Aboriginal people and those with medical conditions to get the flu shot this season.

Jacqueline Mey

Jacqueline is a Features Writer for that’s life! magazine. Previously working at Prevention, she has published works across Bella, Closer, Take a Break, Real People and that’s life! UK. She is also the host of Girlfriend’s Beauty Boss Podcast.