A shocking surge in flu cases across Australia is leaving medical experts scratching their heads as the 2019 peak season hits.
The Communicable Diseases Weekly Report, released by New South Wales Health on April 21, revealed there had been a 300 per cent surge in recorded flu cases compared to last year.
'For the year to date there have been 10,121 confirmed influenza notifications reported, much higher than for the same periods in 2018, (with) 3,803, and in 2017, (with) 2884,' the report read.
Medical experts are baffled by a huge surge in flu cases as the 2019 peak season hits
'It remains impossible to predict how the higher than usual influenza activity in recent months will affect this year's winter influenza season. However, the current influenza activity reinforces the importance of annual flu shots.'
In the four weeks leading up to March 31 there were 2481 confirmed influenza cases in NSW, much higher than the 972 for the same period in 2018.
So far in 2019 there have been 27 cases of influenza outbreaks in NSW, while there were a total of 46 in 2018.
So far 2017 holds the record for recorded flu cases with 103,852 reported for the year.
A total of 17,495 confirmed cases of flu were recorded in 2018.
NSW Health communicable diseases expert Vicky Sheppard told the publication the surge in flu numbers had not been seen before, ABC News reported.
'We don't know what it means because this is a new phenomenon,' she said.
NSW Health communicable diseases expert Vicky Sheppard (pictured) told the publication the surge in flu numbers had not been seen before
'We don't know if this activity will decrease and then the influenza season
