A Canberra mother-of-two has died on the weekend after suffering complications from the flu.
The territory's acting chief health officer confirmed the news on Tuesday, describing it as tragic.
"It's obviously terrible when someone dies of influenza," Dr Andrew Pengilley told ABC radio on Tuesday.
Dr Pengilley described Jennifer Thew as "fit" and "young", and said her death was tragic.
Ms Thew was a patient in Calvary Hospital prior to her death, the ACT Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris confirmed on Tuesday.
"I was deeply saddened this morning to hear of the Canberra woman who tragically died of respiratory complications from influenza on Saturday," Minister Fitzharris said in a statement.
"On behalf of the ACT Government and ACT Health I would like to pass on my sincere regards to the woman’s family in what must be an incredibly difficult time."
The death comes days after Australia's chief medical officer confirmed there had been significantly higher cases of the flu than normal in people who had been vaccinated.
ACT Health said latest statistics showed that as of September 9 there were 2086 notifications of influenza this flu season.
This was compared to 841, the average number of notifications reported at the same time over the last five years.
"Reports of this tragic death are a reminder that influenza can affect anyone in our community and that’s why it is important to seek medical support if unwell," the health body said in a statement on Tuesday.
A Canberra dance studio, which Ms Thew's daughter attends, has set up a fundraising page for her family.
They also posted a message from the family on Facebook.
"Jen was a beautiful, gentle soul and, above all, the most devoted mother," they write.
"We are absolutely heartbroken that she has been taken from us in such cruel circumstances.
"We are so grateful to the medical teams in Canberra and Sydney that fought so hard to save her life."
Minister Fitzharris again urged people to get their flu vaccines and not to put off seeing a doctor if they're feeling unwell.
"What we've seen this year around the country, and sadly now here in Canberra, is people that probably weren't in particularly vulnerable groups who may have caught the flu, or influenza, and then had further complications," she told reporters.
Professor Brendan Murphy said this season's internationally approved vaccine, selected by the World Health Organisation, gave "moderate to good" coverage of the viruses, but it had not been as effective as previous years.
Speaking last week in Canberra, Professor Murphy said the department was aware of about 100 deaths from influenza so far in 2017.
"We have been notified of about 100 deaths from influenza so far this year, but we believe that to be an underestimation," he told reporters.
The death comes weeks after eight-year-old Rosie Andersen from Melbourne died in hospital after suffering from what her family thought was a bad cold.
Just a few days into her illness, she went into cardiac arrest.
Rosie was among thousands struck amid the high seasonal influenza rate in Victoria this year.
Her family issued a plea to parents across Australia to ensure their children were vaccinated against the flu.
Rosie's father, Christian Brealey, gave this statement to the 'Herald Sun':
"We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful, loving, little angel. We urge everyone to get their kids immunised against the flu, and ask only that our privacy is respected and our family given time and space to grieve."
Following Rosie's death, Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy described this flu season as horrific.
"This is an influenza strain that is able to impact the young, the elderly, the well and the unwell, and people should be really attentive to any symptoms of the flu that they might have."
Victoria's deputy chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton also raised the push to make the flu vaccination free for children.
"I think it's a national conversation that needs to be had," Dr Sutton told 'The Age' newspaper.
Symptoms of influenza include fever, headaches, lethargy, a sore throat and coughing, and those particularly at risk are people over the age of 65, pregnant women, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
