The number of flu cases in Canada has been growingly steadily for the past month, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s weekly FluWatch report.

Alberta was hit hardest this week with PHAC reporting widespread flu activity in the province. Localized activity was reporter throughout Quebec and parts of British Columbia.

The Yukon, the Northwest Territories, B.C., Saskatchewan and Eastern Ontario experienced individual, isolated cases only. No flu activity was reported in Nunavut, western Ontario, Nefoundland, P.E.I, Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.

The number of flu cases has “increased sharply for the fourth week in a row,” said the report, with more than 1,900 cases being reported.

Here’s a chart showing which province has been hit the hardest so far this month, using the latest data from Dec. 7-13.

 

Sporadic:

  • Lab-confirmed cases on influenza, but no outbreaks within that region.

Localized:

  • Increase of flu,
  • lab-confirmed cases, along with
  • outbreaks in schools, hospitals, residential institutions and other facilities, in less than half of the region.

Widespread:

  • Increase of flu,
  • lab-confirmed cases, along with
  • outbreaks in schools, hospitals, residential institutions and other facilities, in more than half of the region.

According to the FluWatch report, H3N2 is the most common type of influenza affecting Canadians.

The H3N2 strand of influenza is more aggressive and can cause severe illness in children, the elderly, and those with who already have a chronic illness.

Officials say The strand has also mutated since this year’s influenza vaccine was created, making the shot less effective than doctors had hoped it would be.

“There’s a little bit of genetic drift, so it’s not a perfect match,” said Rosamund Lewis, Ottawa’s associate medical officer of health. “What that means is the vaccine still offers protection, but it doesn’t offer as much protection as we like it to.”

The vaccine will still offer protection against other influenza strains that have not drifted, such as the H1N1 virus and the influenza B virus, so people are still being advised to get their flu shot.

With files from CTV Ottawa