New data shows that flu cases are increasing in Canada. In this situation, vulnerable patients in Quebec, British Columbia, and the most affected regions are seeking hospital assistance.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website, 24% of influenza tests have returned positive. In the previous week, the positivity rate was 21%.
Dr. Jesse Papenburg, an infectious disease specialist at Montreal Children’s Hospital, stated that only a small percentage of people seeking medical help are tested. Therefore, the reported positivity rate is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the actual spread of the flu.
He mentioned that many children with flu symptoms are coming to the emergency department, and the number of hospital admissions for children has been increasing over the past few weeks. Some children are even being moved to intensive care units.
The Public Health Agency of Canada’s website states that children under six years old, elderly individuals, people with chronic health conditions, and pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness or complications from the flu.
Papenburg noted that flu season typically starts in early November or December, but this year, it wasn’t observed until after the holiday season had ended.
According to data from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Quebec has the highest flu positivity rate at 32.1%. The rate in other regions is 29.8%, and in British Columbia, it is 28%. In Ontario, the flu positivity rate is 19.8%.
The latest flu positivity rate data was published on the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website on Thursday afternoon. Nationally, the positivity rate this year is 24.3%, which is double the 12.1% rate recorded at the same time last year.
