Flu numbers jump 22%, seniors most severely affected

By Medicine Hat News on December 15, 2022.

The province is reporting a total of 6,288 lab-confirmed influenza cases so far this season (as of Dec. 3), an increase of approximately 22 per cent from the Nov. 26 report of 5,163.

Influenza A continues to comprise the majority, with Influenza B comprising the rest.

Seniors aged 60-79 continue to be the most severely affected age group, although children nine years and under also face severe outcomes at a disproportionately higher rate than adults aged 20-59.

As of Dec. 3, 1,124 Albertans have been hospitalized with influenza this season, with 112 admitted to ICU. That is compared to the Nov. 26 numbers of 818 hospitalizations and 80 ICU admissions.

Eight more Albertans have died from influenza since the Nov. 26 update. And the total number of deaths so far this season is now reported to be 24, including two South zone residents.

Of Alberta’s five health zones, the South continues to report the lowest number of lab-confirmed influenza cases, with 309 total as of Dec. 3, compared to 217 on Nov. 26.

The South zone is reporting a total of 81 hospitalizations this season, up from 61 last week, and a total of nine ICU admissions, up from seven.

Provincial influenza immunizations increased by nearly 67,000 from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, and now sit at 1,067,427 – roughly 24 per cent of Alberta’s population.

In the same time period, South zone immunizations increased by more than 4,000, and now sit at 68,849 – about 22 per cent of the region’s population.