The deadly flu season begins a few weeks earlier in the state of Washington

The influenza season began eight weeks earlier than usual in Western Australia, but it remains to be seen whether it will become the worst.

The Washington State Department of Health announced earlier this week that 10 people had died from an influenza-related illness this year, up from four at the same time last year.

Acting director of the Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Paul Effler, said the vaccination materials were tight, but urged people to get the flu shot, saying the disease could be a "killer".

"It seems that this is already very serious, but the number of hospital admissions for confirmed cases of influenza is not yet so high," he said to the press Friday.

"It would be premature to say that it's the worst flu season we've had."

Last year, 460,000 doses of influenza vaccine against influenza were distributed in the state of Washington and this year, 660,000 doses are available.