Alberta Battles Worst Flu Season in Years Amid Ongoing COVID Concerns
A recent spike in influenza hospitalizations and ICU admissions highlights Alberta's severe flu season, compounded by rising COVID-19 and RSV cases.
Charlie Kennedy
- 2024-01-05
- Updated 06:46 PM ET
(NewsNibs) - Between December 16 and December 30, 2023, Alberta's healthcare system grappled with a staggering 762 flu-related hospitalizations, affecting individuals across all age groups. This increase brought the total number of influenza hospitalizations for the season to 2,220. Intensive care admissions were also on the rise during this period, with 77 new ICU cases reported in patients younger than 90, summing up the season's tally to 248. Alberta has seen an uptick in flu-related deaths, nearly doubling from 44 to 80, primarily in individuals over the age of 40. The H1N1 strain has been identified as a major factor in the current flu outbreak. Meanwhile, Alberta's weekly lab-confirmed flu cases and positivity rates have shown a declining trend since an early December peak.
COVID-19 and RSV also Pose Challenges
In addition to influenza, Alberta has been facing concurrent threats from COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). There were 294 new COVID-19 hospitalizations and 20 admissions to ICUs in the last two weeks of December, with 55 fatalities recorded among those aged 40 or above. Average COVID-19 deaths per day have reached three since August 27, 2023, with total mortalities due to the virus since the pandemic's onset now at 6,220. RSV hospitalizations have climbed to 179 with 12 ICU cases, and the infection rate is 9.2%, with the Calgary Zone experiencing the highest at 13.7%.
Vaccination Coverage and Public Health Measures
Flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaigns continue, with Alberta reporting a 23.5% influenza vaccine coverage, one of its four lowest rates since 2010. Meanwhile, only 16% of the population has received this season's COVID-19 shot, which targets the XBB subvariants. Alberta Health Services introduced the Novavax vaccine using protein-based technology on a recent Friday. The updated vaccines are anticipated to combat the JN.1 subvariant effectively, currently the predominant strain in Canada. Public health officials uphold that it is safe to receive both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines concurrently and advise eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as three months after the last dose or infection. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends NIOSH-certified N95 or certified KN95 respirators to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
In response to the escalating health crisis, Alberta has taken steps to reinforce its public health strategies, balancing the management of an overwhelming flu season with the persistent challenges of COVID-19 and RSV. As the province continues to advocate for increased vaccination rates and the adoption of protective measures, the healthcare system remains on high alert to mitigate the impacts of these respiratory viruses on Albertans.
