Influenza in Alberta: Cases remain low, no new deaths reported for first time in months
No Albertans died from influenza this week according to the latest data, while only 29 new cases were reported – a low not seen since October.
The last time no new deaths were reported was the week of Nov. 5.
The death toll this flu season is 116.
In-hospital deaths as well as deaths in community settings reported by first responders are included in that number, while data for seasons prior to 2021-2022 only include hospital deaths.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
This influenza season, 2,044 Albertans have required hospital care. There were eight new admissions in the latest update.
This season has the second-highest number of hospitalizations in 14 seasons.
The Calgary zone has had the most patients requiring hospital care, with 765, followed by the Edmonton zone’s 579.
Of the eight new admissions between Feb. 26 and Mar. 4, 63 per cent were 40 or older. One of the admissions was a child between the ages of one and four.
To date, 210 people have required intensive care. No new patients were admitted in this update.
The majority of ICU patients this season have also been in the Calgary zone.
CASES
Alberta reported 29 new infections on Thursday, a decrease from the week prior. New case numbers have stayed below 50 for three consecutive weeks.
According to Alberta Health data, this season has the second-highest number of cases in 14 seasons, with 8,923 infections so far. The 2017-18 flu season had the highest number of cases, with 9,115.
The Calgary zone has had the highest number of influenza cases in the province, totalling 2,996 so far.
The Edmonton zone has the second-highest number of cases in Alberta, with 2,591.
The Central zone has had 1,061 cases; the North zone has reported 1,586 cases, while the South zone has counted 683. Six cases have not been assigned a zone.
Influenza A has made up 98.5 per cent of this season’s laboratory-confirmed cases.
OUTBREAKS AND VACCINATIONS
There have been a total of 98 outbreaks in Alberta this season. Fifty-five per cent have been at supportive-living and home-living sites. There were no new outbreaks in this update.
More than 1.3 million influenza vaccines have been administered since Oct. 17, translating to 27.6 per cent of Albertans being immunized. There are also 65,113 more people vaccinated compared to this time last year.
Of Albertans aged 65 or older, 63.7 per cent have been vaccinated for influenza, while 28.9 per cent of children between six months and four years have their vaccine.
Alberta updates its influenza data on Thursdays.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
'Mr. Trump doesn't worry us', says Canadian ambassador
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Loblaw boycott organizers say they plan to keep movement going past May
The organizers of a month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores say they've decided to extend the boycott past May.