If you think it’s too late for flu season, think again.
Data from Alberta’s health services show that influenza cases have increased across the province in recent weeks, with more than 200 cases reported in Calgary alone.
And those numbers could only be the tip of the iceberg, according to Dr. Eddie Lang, head of the clinical department for emergency medicine in the Calgary area with AHS.
“There are many, many more people who probably have the flu,” Lang said.
“They just haven’t tested it.”
Land said health professionals testing COVID were surprised to see that the results were positive for the flu, given the spread of the COVID virus now in the province.
He said it was unusual to see so many flu cases at this time of year, but it was not necessarily surprising, now that travel has intensified and people are in closer contact with each other.
“It’s almost unbelievable that the last two winters have been essentially without the flu season.”
AHS has seen a jump in flu cases in recent weeks. (Rob Easton / CBC)
Craig Jenne, an associate professor of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary, said another potential reason for the recent jump in the number of flu is that not many people have been vaccinated against the virus this season.
“We have to keep in mind that at least at the beginning of the flu season, the vaccines were well below our normal vaccination rate in Alberta,” Jenny said.
“So, if we have a lower level of protection, it may not be surprising that the flu season is getting a little longer than usual.”
Jenny said that in the midst of the need for many boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine, people are likely to feel the effects of vaccination fatigue.
“I think what we’re seeing is really the effect of a few years of little or no flu, that we may have relaxed a little.”
Lang said that while this year’s mistake may not seem particularly difficult to overcome, it is still something people should be aware of, especially since the infection will cause some similar symptoms as COVID. Jenny said it was important for Albert residents to know that the flu is still a serious concern for some people.
“Before the pandemic, the flu or the flu was actually the leading cause of death in Canada from all kinds of infectious diseases,” Jenny said.
“This is something we are used to. But it emphasizes that it still has the potential to cause serious health consequences.”
Both Jenne and Lang said they expect the number of flu to decrease in the coming weeks as people start spending more time outdoors.
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