Name: Flu cases rising in Canada
Uploaded: 2025-12-20T15:30:26.861Z
Duration: 2 min 4 s
Description: Flu cases are rising across Canada, including in Alberta where 650 people are currently in hospital and as Dr. Louis Francescutti explains, a few factors are making this season especially bad.

Flu cases are rising across Canada, including in Alberta where 650 people are currently in hospital and as Dr. Louis Francescutti explains, a few factors are making this season especially bad.

Alberta

Alberta has seen a sharp increase in influenza cases, with confirmed cases more than doubling since late November and 650 residents currently hospitalized—almost twice as many as the previous week. The province's healthcare system is under considerable strain, prompting hospitals to open surge beds, maximize available space, and expand virtual care options.

Nationally, Canada's influenza positivity rate has risen to nearly 28 percent, and the Public Health Agency of Canada warns that hospitalizations are expected to spike further in the coming weeks. Health officials cite a more virulent flu strain, an imperfect vaccine match, and low immunization rates as contributing factors, and advise Canadians to practice good hygiene, wear masks around high-risk individuals, and stay home if unwell.

Flu cases rising in Canada

It feels like everywhere you turn in Alberta, people are getting sick. Health officials say influenza is the main culprit. They were sick like for almost more than a week. I had a fever for six days. It's been absolutely brutal. My partner's actually at home right now sick. The province has confirmed flu cases have more than doubled since late November. Every shift I have at least four to five patients who have influenza. One or two of them will be requiring oxygen requirements. Maybe I saw one patient today that went to ICU. 650 Albertans are in hospital, nearly twice as many as last week. The health care system under strain from influenza and other respiratory illnesses. We are opening surge beds, maximizing available space, expanding virtual care and safely discharging patients while limiting transfers to high-pressure areas. Across Canada, the influenza positivity rate is nearly 28 percent, a jump of eight percentage points from the week prior. The Public Health Agency of Canada warns hospitalizations are expected to spike in the coming weeks. A few things are making this season especially bad, says this doctor. This particular strain is a little more virulent than other strains and the match between our immunization this year and the strain that showed up isn't perfect. So it's a combination of all those different things and combination of low immunization rates as well. In Alberta, influenza activity is projected to peak in the coming days and then the pressure could soon ease up. And then the hospitalizations would typically lag that by approximately a week. So if we get to early or mid-January, that would be when we would be through the lion's share of the pressure. As people gather for the holidays, doctors encourage Canadians to wash their hands often, wear a mask around high-risk individuals and to stay home if they're feeling sick. Julia Wong, CBC News, Edmonton.

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