Influenza cases, hospitalizations surpass last flu season totals

2nd Alta. child dies from influenza Among the fatalities of this year's influenza season is now a second Alberta child, officials say, as experts predict cases will continue to climb through December.

Six more Albertans have died from influenza, according to the latest data update from health officials.

On Thursday, Alberta Health released data showing the deaths include a child between the ages of five to nine, two people between the ages of 60-69 years old, as well as three seniors.

One of the seniors was between the ages of 70-79, one was between 80-89 years of age and another was 90 or older.

Three of the deaths were in the Edmonton zone, two were in the Calgary zone, while one death was reported in the Central zone.

Along with the deaths are sharp increases in influenza cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions.

Alberta added more than 1,566 cases marking a 133 per cent increase in one week. That brings the provincial total to 3,648 so far this season.

That number of cases is higher than the total number reported during the whole 2021-22 season, which had a total of 2906.

This year, most reported cases have been in the Edmonton zone, which has 1,379. Of those, 488 cases have been reported since the last update a week ago, making up 35 per cent of Edmonton's total cases this season.

The Calgary zone has the second-highest number of cases in Alberta, with 1,243. Of those, 417 have been reported since the last update, making up 44 per cent of Calgary’s total cases.

The Central zone has 339 cases, the North zone reported 563 cases, while the South zone has 117. Seven cases have not been assigned a zone.

This influenza season 550 Albertans have required hospital care — officially surpassing last flu season's total number of hospitalizations.

Last season the first hospitalization wasn’t until the week of March 12.

The Calgary zone has had the most patients requiring hospital care this season with 218, followed by the Edmonton zone’s 212.

Seniors are requiring hospital care the most, including those 70-79 years of age (91 hospitalizations), followed by 60-69 years old age (83 hospitalizations).

Seventeen per cent of the hospitalizations this season have been children ages four or under.

To date, 52 people have required intensive care, an increase of 18. The majority of ICU patients have been in the Calgary zone. Admissions include all age groups. Nineteen per cent of ICU patients have been children aged four or under.

There has been a total of 34 outbreaks in Alberta so far this season. Some outbreaks are for COVID-19 and influenza simultaneously. The majority of reported outbreaks are for Influenza A and COVID-19 combined at supportive living and home living sites.

A total of 91,1529 doses of influenza vaccine have been administered in the province since they became available on Oct. 17, translating to 20.5 per cent of Albertans being immunized.

Of those doses, more than 364,000 have been given to those 65 years of age and older. That age group has been 57 per cent vaccinated.

By this time last year, 21.7 per cent of Albertans were vaccinated, meaning 51,858 fewer people have received the vaccine this year.

Alberta will update its data next Thursday.