Alberta continues to be without a case of influenza

By GILLIAN SLADE on December 22, 2020.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade

There are still no cases of influenza in Alberta and the number of Albertans who have been given the flu vaccine exceeds what it was a year ago.

The government’s latest flu report dated Dec. 17 says there are no cases of either influenza A or B.

A year ago there had already been 1,328 laboratory confirmed cases, of which 123 were in the south zone.

The number of flu vaccine doses administered this year is already at 1,450,368 across the province and last year it was 1,249,425. In the south zone 92,272 people have been vaccinated, while last year by this time it was 90,465.

Health Canada publishes a FluWatch report which provides data on the number of flu cases across the country. The most recent report issued earlier this month called the number of influenza cases exceptionally low. There have been 41 laboratory confirmed influenza cases across Canada since this influenza season began in the fall.

In the past six flu seasons there have been an average of 3,055 cases by this stage, the FluWatch report states.

Alberta Health Services has already indicated that thousands of influenza laboratory tests have been done this season.

Many pharmacies and doctors’ offices are providing influenza immunization shots but families with children less than five years old can make an appointment online (see link below) with AHS.

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/influenza/influenza.aspx

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