Death toll surpasses last year as flu season continues in Alberta

It has been a particularly nasty year for influenza in Alberta, with grim new numbers coming from Alberta Health Services in their latest update.

“65 Albertans who had died with lab-confirmed influenza,” says Alberta Health Services Medical Officer of Health Dr. Judy MacDonald. “That compares to 64 for the total of last year.”

As has been mentioned since the season began in September, the Calgary zone has been the hardest hit, with the vast majority of all infections and deaths happening in this area.

“We’ve had almost 3,000 lab-confirmed cases of influenza A and B together, which has amounted to about 937 people being admitted to hospital (in the Calgary zone),” said MacDonald.

Overall, there’s been over 7,000 influenza infections in Alberta so far, and the season is far from over.

MacDonald adds that the strain most present this year, known as AH3, is a very strong strain of the virus, that usually affects the elderly and young children the worst. But this time around, almost everyone has the potential to get sick.

“Anybody in between can also get this virus and have a nasty, nasty course with it.”

Before a season starts, health officials try to predict the strain that will be most present, but it’s not an exact science.

“There can be differences in those viruses from one year to the next,” said MacDonald. “So when you’re comparing the damage that they do, it’s really difficult to say it’s exactly the same virus.”

In the meantime, MacDonald urges any Albertans who haven’t already gotten a flu shot to try and get one. They are still available at AHS public health clinics, some pharmacies and some doctors.

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