Bad flu season in Okanagan

It’s not even over yet but this year’s flu season in the Interior Health Authority region is already being touted as a particularly bad one.

“This season we have seen a high number of cases in terms of people that tested positive for influenza,” Interior Health medical health officer with Dr. Silvina Mema said. “We have seen more than the two previous years.”

So far this season, there have been 456 cases of influenza within the Interior Health Authority region and likely many more because those are only lab-confirmed cases. Thirty-five deaths have been reported at residential care facilities during outbreaks. There were no deaths during the last flu season.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“This year it hit harder and faster than in previous couple of years,” Mema said.

Mema said there was a big and sudden spike in the number of cases in the first couple of weeks of January. That has since tapered off, so while the worst of it may be behind us, the flu season is far from over.

“There is usually one peak and then a second wave so I would expect there might be a second wave this year,” Mema said.

Okanagan residents are being urged not to let their guards down and continue exercising caution to avoid getting sick.

“There is still lots of influenza circulating,” Mema said. “People still should be exercising caution using the respiratory etiquette that we emphasize – cough in your sleeve, wash your hands, dispose of your tissues, and stay home if sick.”