Spike in influenza cases hitting Windsor-Essex as health officials urge vaccinations

A spike in flu cases in Windsor-Essex. CTV’s Chris Campbell has details.

Windsor Regional Hospital and public health officials are reporting a sharp rise in influenza activity across Windsor-Essex, prompting renewed calls for vaccination and basic respiratory precautions ahead of the holidays.

Nicole Krywionek, chief nursing executive at Windsor Regional Hospital, says the uptick is being felt both in hospital wards and in community testing.

“Currently in the hospital, we have 33 total acute respiratory illness cases. That’s four flu, which is two adult, two pediatrics, three COVID, which are all adults and one of those is in the ICU, and one RSV case,” she said in an interview on Monday.

Krywionek says flu activity has been climbing steadily since the start of fall, noting the number of cases compared to this time last year has more than doubled.

“Since October 1st we’ve had 161 patients test positive for influenza A and one test positive for influenza B,” she said. “People may or may not know influenza B usually spikes after influenza A, so more like February or March.”

She says the cases detected inside the hospital likely represent only a portion of the true spread in the community.

“For every case that we see in the hospital, it means that there’s multiple cases out in the community as well,” she said.

Both the hospital and the region’s medical officer of health are urging residents to get vaccinated as transmission accelerates.

“It’s never too late to get your vaccine,” Krywionek continued. “It can help decrease the symptoms that you’re experiencing from flu. So, more severe flu could potentially be reduced to what feels more like a common cold with that flu vaccine. So it’s very important to get the flu vaccine. And it’s never too late.”

Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, medical officer of health for Windsor-Essex, says wastewater signals show flu spread has increased significantly in recent days.

“We see a significant increase in the number of transmission based off the wastewater surveillance data that we have in hand,” he said.

“The most important thing for us at this time, given the fact that we see a huge increase in transmission, is getting the vaccine that we are eligible for,” he added.

Aloosh said the region has a narrow window before infections peak.

“This is the time… we have a couple of weeks until we get to the height of the transmission,” he explained. “Get the vaccine if you haven’t had a chance. The second important piece is stay home if you’re sick… it might not be an issue for you as a healthy person, but for people who have underlying medical conditions, older adults or very young people in our community, it might be very serious.”

Local pharmacies are also feeling the impact of rising case counts.

“Obviously weather’s getting colder. Everybody’s getting inside and is getting closer,” said pharmacist Tim Brady, owner of Brady’s Drug Store.

Brady says demand for flu shots jumped early this year, and supply has been inconsistent.

“A lot more requests for flu shots, that’s for sure. It’s been really hard to get this year,” he said. “We have shots, then don’t have shots… but a lot of people are asking for them.”

He says residents should try to get the vaccine when it is available.

“The message I think for people is if you can get a shot, get it,” he said. “There are special shots for people over the age of 65, they’re high-dose shots… but it’s better to get something than nothing at all.”

Brady says getting vaccinated now still offers protection in time for holiday gatherings.

“This is a really good time to get it… you really don’t want to be the person that makes grandma who’s coming for Christmas sick or puts her in the hospital.”

He adds that basic precautions from staying home when ill to handwashing and mask use remain helpful.

“Wash your hands… be careful when putting things up to your face,” he said. “If you are sick, you know, masks help with the chance of spreading to other people. Basic etiquette… where we used to tough through and go to work, it’s probably a lot better to not go in and make everybody else sick because they want to spend the holidays healthy and happy.”

Public health says flu activity is expected to continue rising into the new year.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) offers vaccination schedules online.

Residents are urged to reach out to their family doctor or local pharmacy for flu vaccine appointments.