With 55 cases nationwide, Alberta still without first case of influenza, months behind norm

By GILLIAN SLADE on January 12, 2021.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade

Alberta continues to have no cases of influenza but according to a Canadian report there are 55 cases in other parts of the country.

“To date this season, 51 influenza detections have been reported … which is significantly lower than the past six seasons where an average of 8,784 influenza detections were reported for the season to date,” says FluWatch, a report issued by Health Canada.

Most are classified as influenza A “unsubtyped” while there are also cases of influenza A (H3N2) influenza A (H1N1), and influenza B.

In Alberta, the contrast in numbers compared with other years is significant. By Jan. 3, 2019 there had already been more than 4,600 cases of influenza A and influenza B, combined.

Alberta does not reveal the number of influenza lab testing being done but FluWatch indicates that there have been “elevated levels of testing” across the country. An average of 12,301 each week are being done according to laboratories that are reporting to FluWatch.

The percentage of tests that were positive for influenza in the latest reporting week was 0.01 per cent and in the past six influenza seasons the typical positivity rate was 22.8 per cent, according to FluWatch.

In Canada the influenza season usually starts in mid November. Some years it has been as early as mid-October and as late as early January. So far the number of cases is too low to declare that an influenza season has begun in Canada, states FluWatch.

An online report from the World Health Organization states that of the low number of influenza cases detected in laboratory testing, the majority are influenza A (H3N2).

A spokesperson for Alberta Health says that during the “2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, there were other strains of influenza circulating but at a very low amount”.

The Alberta Health spokesperson says that the public health measures and restrictions that are in place because of the COVID pandemic have reduced the spread of influenza.

According to the latest Alberta Health Services influenza report, a total of 1,476,702 doses of influenza vaccine have been administered this flu season. Of that number 94,268 were given in the south zone which includes Medicine Hat.

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