New flu numbers released by Alberta Health Services (AHS) show the number of lab-confirmed influenza cases has more that doubled in the last two weeks while the first flu-related death in Edmonton this season has now been confirmed.
On Thursday, AHS said the province has now seen 948 lab-confirmed case of influenza A and 199 bouts of influenza B. That’s a significant rise from the 478 cases of influenza A and 82 cases of influenza B reported two weeks ago.
The Edmonton death brings the total number of Albertans who have died this season who had lab-confirmed influenza to five. Three of those deaths were in Calgary.
READ MORE: Near-fatal bout with H1N1 spurs Edmonton teacher to promote flu shot
Watch below: On Oct. 24, 2016, Beginning Monday, Su-Ling Goh filed this report about influenza in Alberta and one person’s nearly fatal bout with H1N1.
A spokesperson for AHS told Global News on Thursday that it was too soon to accurately compare this year’s flu season in Alberta with last season. However, the spokesperson said, “as of Dec. 1, 2016, in last year’s influenza season, Edmonton had zero deaths in people with lab-confirmed influenza.”
In terms of how the season is going, it’s not accurate to speculate or compare this year to last year at this point.
To date, the flu season has hit Calgary significantly harder than Edmonton. On Thursday, AHS said 505 lab-confirmed cases of influenza A and 147 on influenza B compared to Edmonton’s 158 influenza A cases and 9 influenza B cases.
READ MORE: Why are 60 per cent of the Alberta flu cases in Calgary?
In total, 320 Albertans who have been admitted to hospital this flu season have been diagnosed with influenza.
Nearly one million Albertans have now gone to receive their free influenza vaccine (958,961).
Anyone aged six months and older can get immunized free of charge.
For more information on immunization clinics and schedules, click here.
This year, AHS is not offering the FluMist nasal spray.
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization no longer recommends the spray for children between two and 17 years old. The committee concluded that FluMist and injectable vaccines are equally safe and effective for children.
Watch below: On Oct. 23, 2017, Su-Ling Goh filed this report on flu immunization clinics and tips on how to prepare kids for getting their shots this season.