The Northern Territory has recorded 968 cases of influenza so far this year, more than twelve times the number reported across all of 2021.
Hospital admissions for the disease have also risen steeply, with 79 people hospitalised so far this year compared to just five throughout 2021.
Across Australia, influenza cases have climbed sharply over the past few weeks, following historic low levels of the virus during the pandemic.
But with the NT now approaching its coldest months, a period which coincides with its peak flu season, health experts are urging Territorians to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated.
Australian Medical Association NT president Rob Parker said the territory's large case numbers were concerning, even though doctors had expected a rise in flu cases this year.
"Influenza is a very serious viral infection and it has potentially fatal consequences … so it's very important to get vaccinated," he said.
He also said the Northern Territory should look to follow Queensland's lead and offer free flu jabs to residents.
"Potentially making it free for everybody would encourage more people, so that would be the best thing [to do]," he said.
University of Queensland virologist Kirsty Short said vaccination was the "best response" to climbing case numbers, and that Queensland's free jabs program could also work well in the NT.
"It's a really great initiative," Dr Short said.
"Incentives to get people vaccinated, including education and a lack of charging, is a really good thing."
NT Chief Minister and Health Minister Natasha Fyles said vulnerable Territorians, including pregnant people and all Aboriginal people over the age of six months, were already able to get the vaccine for free.
But Ms Fyles said she would speak to the health team about whether that eligibility criteria should be expanded.
"If the health advice is that we should expand that, we certainly will follow that," she said.
Dr Short said widespread vaccination coverage was especially important in a jurisdiction such as the Northern Territory, where 30 per cent of residents were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Indigenous people, as well as those with chronic conditions and the elderly, are at higher risk of severe illness from influenza.
"The reason you get vaccinated is not just for yourself but for the community around you," Dr Short said.
Influenza cases dropped in 2021, 2020
In 2021, the Northern Territory reported 76 cases and in 2020 there were 292: a significant decrease from the 1,878 in 2019 and 1,219 in 2018.
The NT Health spokeswoman said that Australia-wide, there had been a drop in the number of flu cases during the pandemic.
"This is due to border closures and an increase in personal hygiene and physical distancing through the implementation of public health measures," she said.
The spokeswoman said NT Health had "plans in place" to respond to significant numbers of flu cases, including "reconfiguring resources as required".
Dr Short said Australia was in a "really, really unique position" heading into the cooler months.
"We haven't had the flu circulating for a number of years, so you hadn't had that natural boost from infection," she said.
"Then simultaneously you have a lifting of all these public health restrictions that have kept flu at bay for the last two years.
"It was predicted that there would be a high number of [influenza] cases [in 2022]."
The two main subtypes currently circulating in the NT are both influenza A, but the NT Health spokeswoman said there was "no indication" the virus was more severe than in previous flu seasons.
Of the 968 cases of influenza recorded across the NT this year, 386 were in Central Australia, 404 were in the Top End region, 61 in the Barkly, 19 in the Big Rivers region, 16 in East Arnhem, 58 were from interstate and 24 were still under investigation.
