West Australians have been warned by doctors to prepare themselves for one of the worst flu seasons in recent years, local media reported Friday.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said a"very serious" flu strain has apparently made its way from overseas to the eastern states, and the potentially deadly strain will arrive in Western Australia (WA) soon.

Recent data received from Queensland Health shows that hospital admissions from influenza have increased sharply, with most of the flu notifications appearing to be the H1N1 swine flu strain, according to the AMA.

"A particularly dry summer has been the main reason WA hasn't been hit hard by influenza this year," AMA WA President Richard Choong said in a statement.

"However, any traveler arriving in WA could be a carrier, and it's only a matter of time before we see hospital admissions related to influenza rise."

The AMA said Australia has already seen a sudden increase in flu infections around five times the norm for this time of the year with more than 2,500 cases across the country.

It said the flu and its impact on health, especially on the elderly, usually kills around 2,800 Australians every year.

"We urge all West Australians, particularly those in high-risk groups, to be proactive during this flu season and get their flu shots when possible," he said.