Influenza cases spike, with 5 deaths in Alberta

There have now been 283 confirmed cases of influenza in Alberta this season, and over 80 people hospitalized. “Every year in large numbers it kills people, and it’s preventable”, Dr. Lavoie said.

“Influenza is here in Alberta and we’re now seeing its tragic toll”.

The groups most at risk of becoming extremely ill from influenza are the elderly, infants, and people with chronic medical conditions.

Different reports on last year’s flu vaccine show it was between 8 and 30 percent effective, he said.

The province purchased over two millions doses of influenza vaccine and so far just over one million doses have been administered. They are available at AHS clinics, pharmacies and many doctors’ offices.

The process begins in the winter of the preceding year, and by February, the World Health Organization and the CDC decide which viruses will be included in the vaccine for the next flu season. Previous year was one of the deadliest flu seasons on record in Alberta – 103 people with lab-confirmed influenza died in 2014-15 and 1,874 people were admitted to hospital. “People always talk about, ‘What can we do to prevent things?’ Well, here’s a preventable disease that people aren’t taking advantage of a preventive measure”. “When people are in close quarters all the time, the virus spreads from people coughing and sneezing around each other”, Mr. Zgodzinski said.

Lavoie said some people may believe the vaccine is “not worth it”, or are waiting to see how the season goes.

“There’s all sorts of unusual and misleading information on the Internet that circulates there”. Albertans need to check their sources.

Dr. Gerry Predy said there’s no link between the weather and influenza.