CALGARY – This year’s late flu season is still making many Albertans sick. The latest numbers posted by Alberta Health Services show there have been 2,865 lab confirmed cases of influenza province-wide since the fall, including 843 cases in the Calgary zone and 1,042 cases in the Edmonton zone. Last week, AHS posted 2,380 cases but because most people who are sick with the virus will not be tested, numbers posted only reflect a small part of what’s happening in the province.
The flu has also contributed to fifteen deaths province-wide, including two reported in the last week. The most recent flu deaths involved patients in Calgary, who were both between the ages of 18 and 64 years old. Neither had been immunized.
(Graphic credit: Tonia Huynh, Global News)
So far this season, there have been eight flu deaths in Calgary, six in Edmonton and one in the north zone.
Alberta Health Services says in Calgary:
- None of the fatal cases had been immunized;
- Five were between 18 and 64 years old;
- One was over the age of 65 years old;
- Two had H3N2, four had H1N1.
In Edmonton:
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- Six had not been immunized;
- One, a child, had received just one of two required doses of the flu shot;
- One was considered fully immunized;
- Two were under the age of 18 years old;
- Four were between 18 and 64 years old;
- All eight had H1N1.
In the north zone:
- Victim had not been immunized;
- Between 18 and 64 years old;
- Had H1N1.
(Graphic credit: Tonia Huynh, Global News)
Last year, in one of the worst flu seasons in nearly two decades, the province saw more than 100 flu-related deaths. The severe flu season was partly attributed to an ineffective vaccine formula that failed to provide protection against the dominant strain of flu in circulation, H3N2. This year, H1N1 appears to be the dominant strain and the flu shot appears to be providing better protection.
The province had hoped to hand out two million doses, but just over 1.1 million Albertans have received a flu shot this year. Last year, just over 1.25 million flu shots were administered.
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