It’s that time of year again.
According to Alberta Health Services, 325 cases of the flu have been confirmed in Alberta just three weeks into the 2019/2020 influenza flu season.
This alarming stat comes after last year’s 30 flu-related deaths and over 6,000 confirmed influenza cases by the time all was said and done.
However, last year’s flu season pales in comparison to the 2017/2018 season, which reported 92 deaths and over 10,000 confirmed cases of influenza.
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The decrease in illness from 2017/2018 to 2018/2019 may be due to the 75,000 additional doses of vaccine that were administered in the latter season, totalling 1,305,470 throughout the province.
Clinics have been administering the free vaccine for just over a month now to 1,016,456 Albertans, though this accounts for less than a quarter of the province’s total population.
The past few years have shown a steady increase in administered influenza shots. Taking into consideration that flu season is still in its early stages for the year, the 325 confirmed cases is an improvement over the past two years.
Alberta Health Services
AHS will be releasing weekly data tracking confirmed cases, locations, deaths related to, and more in regards to the spread of the virus. According to the third week of data, released on November 21, no deaths have been reported so far this season.
Immunizations are available to all Albertans over the age of five, free of charge, at any AHS clinic, pharmacist, or physician.
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