Central Alberta experienced a small rise in flu cases over the past week.
There have been 1,021 influenza cases identified in Alberta Health Services’ central zone throughout the 2022-23 flu season as of the end of the day on Jan. 9, according to data provided on the provincial government’s website. (Twenty-seven cases new cases were reported this past week.)
Additionally, 216 people in the central zone have been hospitalized due to influenza, with 22 of those individuals having been admitted into intensive care units. Eighteen individuals have died due to influenza within the zone.
Provincially, there have been 8,495 cases identified throughout the season. The Government of Alberta’s data released this week shows there have been 1,918 hospitalizations, including 196 ICU admissions, and 90 deaths throughout the province.
The Calgary zone has led the way in total influenza cases with 2,866, followed by Edmonton’s 2,427, the north zone’s 1,521, the south zone’s 652 and eight from an unknown source.
More than 1.2 million doses of influenza vaccine have been administered in Alberta, including 187,416 administered by AHS, 947,008 administered by pharmacies and 81,627 administered by other providers.
In the central zone, which has a population of 479,950, there have been 102,209 administered doses of vaccine, which marks a coverage percentage of 21 per cent. Meanwhile, the coverage percentage is 29.7 per cent in the Calgary zone, 28 per cent in the Edmonton zone, 24.9 per cent in the south zone and 16.7 per cent in the south zone.
This week, in the 2021-22 influenza season, a total of more than 1.15 million doses were administered, which was 26 per cent provincial coverage. This year, 26.6 per cent of Albertans have received an influenza vaccine.
Nationally, influenza continues to circulate but has “sharply declined” from the peak that occurred in the end of November, according to the federal government’s website.
From Jan. 1-7, a total of 1,749 laboratory detections were reported. Throughout the entire season, 62,904 influenza detections were reported in the country.
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