Hospitalizations expected to surge as flu cases rise across Canada

New data reveals influenza cases are skyrocketing across the country, with a surge of hospitalizations expected in the coming weeks.

Canada’s public health database shows 28 per cent of nationwide flu tests have come back positive, an almost eight per cent increase from data posted last week.

Public Health Ontario says there were 5,400 cases of influenza reported for the week ending December 13, with almost 35 per cent of tests coming back positive. The data showed 73 per cent of children between the ages of 5 and 11 had the highest number of infections.

There’s also been a sharp increase in hospitalizations across the country, nearly doubling in one week. In Ontario, just under 1,000 hospitalizations related to influenza were reported in the most recent week, an increase of more than 400 over the previous week. Three children from the Ottawa area have also died in the last two weeks from influenza complications.

Emergency Department volumes at the Hospital for Sick Children have increased by 50 per cent over the past two weeks, which a spokesperson for the Toronto hospital said is at the high end of predicted volumes for respiratory illness season.

“It’s a severe year,” said Dr. Michelle Murti, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health. “Last year for influenza, we thought that was one of the worst flu seasons we’ve seen in about 10 years. We are already surpassing last year in terms of hospitalizations for influenza.”

Infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Isaac Bogoch, says there are two reasons for the surge.

“When we think about influenza, it’s not just one virus. There’s actually three circulating viruses, and when the predominant circulating virus is what’s known as an H3N2 virus, it tends to be at a population level a more significant influenza season,” he explains.

“And then the second reason is the vaccine that we use to protect against influenza has three components. One of the issues this year is the H3N2 component is not as protective as we would like.”

But, he adds, that doesn’t mean you should skip getting the flu shot altogether. In fact, experts maintain that any protection is better than none at all.

“Under the age of four and over the age of 65, these are people with the biggest risk factors for hospitalization,” said Bogoch. “And you’re going to see the same graph year after year after year.”

The Public Health Agency of Canada says the flu is contagious one day before and about five days after symptoms start, though children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer. The most infectious day is the third.

The federal agency says to stay home and avoid close contact for at least the first three days, and better to wait five days or for an overall recovery.

Mild flu symptoms can include fever, cough, muscle aches and pain, chills, tiredness, headache, sore throat, loss of appetite, and runny or stuffy nose. Some people, particularly kids, may have diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Flu symptoms are viral and do not require antibiotics. Saline washes can be used to clear a congested nose. Over-the-counter medication can be taken to reduce fever or aches, however, over-the-counter cough and flu medicine should not be given to children under the age of six, unless a health provider recommends it.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report