Albertans are urged to take steps to slow the spread of seasonal influenza.
Those measures include frequent hand-washing, staying home when sick, and wearing masks in public places.
“We are experiencing a rise in seasonal influenza with levels higher than any time in the past two years,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health.
More than 700 cases of seasonal influenza have been confirmed in Alberta, with the majority coming in the past two months.
Hinshaw told reporters on Wednesday that 68 people have been hospitalized with seasonal influenza, including three who required placement in intensive care units.
Hinshaw urged Albertans to use the same preventative methods for the flu as for COVID-19 such as frequent hand-washing and staying home when sick.
A reporter asked whether vaccination against seasonal influenza is also a step people should take.
“We know that the Influenza A virus that’s currently circulating is one that is not ideally matched to the vaccine that was used this season,” Hinshaw said. “When that happens, while vaccines can still help somewhat we know that in the past the effectiveness of influenza vaccines ranges year-to-year.”
The government is reporting that more than 1.2-million doses of seasonal influenza vaccine have been administered, which represents just over 27 per cent of the province’s population.
Hinshaw said wearing masks in public places is a valuable intervention, particularly for people who have risk factors.
“Also making sure that we continue to normalize in all of our circles the important habit of staying home when sick,” Hinshaw added.
People who have influenza should try to avoid being around other people who have respiratory illnesses.
Hinshaw said everyone should support those who are sick who need time to stay away from others so influenza doesn’t spread.
“Those are really the key things,” Hinshaw said.
Influenza — commonly referred to as the flu — is a respiratory disease caused by a virus that affects the nose, throat and lungs. Influenza is contagious and easily passed from person to person.
Influenza lowers the body’s ability to fight other infections, including COVID-19.
It can lead to bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, and even death especially in the elderly, children ged six to 59 months, pregnant women, Indigenous people, and people with chronic medical conditions.
Most healthy people recover from influenza without severe complications.
Various strains of the influenza virus circulate throughout the world each year and new strains can emerge and spread.
