Influenza in Alberta: New cases drop for seventh week, 13 deaths reported

People walk pass a sign for flu shots in Toronto on January 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

In a one-week period, 13 more Albertans have died from influenza, according to the latest data from health officials, while newly reported cases decreased for the seventh week in a row making for a dramatic decline from the peak in mid-November.

The total of 90 deaths to date make the current flu season the third-highest of 14 flu seasons in the province.

Of the 13 adults who died, 11 were seniors. Of the seniors, three were between the ages of 60-69, three were between the ages of 70-79, four were in the 80-89 age range, and one was 90 years or older.

The two adults were in the 50-59 age range.

Five of the deaths were in the Calgary zone, two were in the North zone, while the Central zone and the Edmonton zone reported three each. 

HOSPITALIZATIONS

This influenza season, 1,918 Albertans have required hospital care. There were 106 new admissions in the latest update.

To date, this season has the fourth-highest number of hospitalizations in 14 seasons.

The Calgary zone has had the most patients requiring hospital care, with 728, followed by the Edmonton zone’s 533.

Of the 106 new admissions between Jan. 1 to 7, nine per cent were under the age of nine. Seventy-five per cent were aged 60 or older.

To date, 196 people have required intensive care, an increase of eight since the last update. The majority of ICU patients have also been in the Calgary zone.

Seven of the new ICU admissions this week are people 60 years or older. One person between the ages of 30 and 39 has also been admitted.

CASES

New cases of influenza dropped for the seventh week straight after Alberta reported 160 new infections on Thursday.

According to Alberta Health data, this season has the second-highest number of cases in 14 seasons, with a total of 8,495 infections so far.

The Calgary zone has the highest number of influenza cases in the province, with a total of 2,866 so far this season. Of those, 51 are new.

The Edmonton zone has the second-highest number of cases in Alberta, with 2,427. Of those, 31 are new.

The Central zone has had 1,021 cases, the North zone has reported 1,521  cases, while the South zone has counted 652. Eight cases have not been assigned a zone.

Influenza A has made up 99.6 per cent of this season’s laboratory-confirmed cases.

OUTBREAKS AND VACCINATIONS

There have been a total of 90 outbreaks in Alberta so far this season, an increase of four. Fifty-four per cent have been at supportive living and home living sites.

More than 1.2 million influenza vaccines have been administered since Oct. 17, translating to 26.6 per cent of Albertans being immunized. There are also 59,923 more people vaccinated compared to this time last year.

Of Albertans aged 65 or older, 62.7 per cent have been vaccinated for influenza, while 24.5 per cent of children between six months and four years have their vaccine.

Alberta updates its influenza data on Thursdays.