Thirty-one Victorians have died from flu in 2019, as the number of confirmed cases soars to nine times more than the same time last year.

More than 18,600 people have been diagnosed with the flu since the season started late last year, months earlier than usual, prompting Victoria's health minister to urge people to get vaccinated and stay home if sick.

"Sadly, we've had 31 confirmed flu deaths so far this year, the vast majority of those elderly members of the community living in nursing homes," Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told reporters on Monday.

"But sadly, of those deaths, three have been in children."