Data from the 2024 Codral Cold and Flu Forecast, developed in partnership with healthcare analytics and technology firm IQVIA, showed the state was likely to see an increase of cold and flu symptoms following the Easter holidays until early June.

According to the forecast, there would be a 40 per cent increase in households impacted during this period and Warrnambool would be the top region facing the brunt of cold and flu cases per capita.

IQVIA principal Sashi Anantham said the findings were based on a model which predicted the movement of cold and flu symptoms across Australia.

"It's based on a robust combination of cold and flu reports from public institutions, medicine sales, web search results, weather data, vaccination rates and trends data from previous flu seasons," Dr Anantham said.

"Warrnambool is among the largest regional towns in Victoria, and more so in far western Victoria. As such, it serves as a hub for the surrounding region and is likely to have a large volume of people that travel through it, working, shopping and participating in recreational activities.

"This high movement of people from various parts in and around Warrnambool will likely result in interactions between individuals that can facilitate the transmission and spread of colds and the flu."

He said Warrnambool was "generally among the consistently higher ranked cities" due to the factors mentioned and he wanted to ensure residents were "not caught by surprise".