The influenza virus has struck Alberta hard this year.
According to numbers from Alberta Health Services, the province has already seen 2,478 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu in the 2017/2018 season.
Of those 2,478, 13 people have succumbed to the virus, and eight of those were people from Calgary.
Over one million Albertans have received their flu shots this season, nearly half of those being from Calgary, with 464,150 Calgarians visiting a clinic to receive their immunization.
Even so, cases of the flu have hit earlier and harder than expected this year. A spike in cases at the start of December came roughly one month sooner than the average, according to the Government of Alberta’s most recent Influenza Surveillance Report.
Albertans are encouraged to get their flu shot if they haven’t already, especially people who come in close proximity to those at high risk of developing flu-related complications, such as children under 5 years old, pregnant women, and people older than 65.
To find the closest clinic offering free flu shots, take a look at this map from Alberta Health Services.