Flu epidemic officially declared by Public Health Agency of Canada
Posted Nov 15, 2022 5:15 am.
Last Updated Nov 15, 2022 7:22 am.
A flu epidemic has been declared in Canada with the latest public health data showing cases of influenza are rising rapidly across the country.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Flu Watch Report, flu activity has crossed the seasonal threshold, marking the official start of an epidemic.
“All surveillance indicators are increasing and most are above expected levels typical of this time of year,” reads the latest weekly report from the agency.
Those indicators include self-reporting and visits to doctors for flu-like symptoms.
The data shows the weekly percentage of positive tests for influenza from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 increased to 11.7 per cent, from 6.3 per cent the week prior.
The shaded area represents the maximum and minimum number of influenza tests or percentage of tests positive reported by week from seasons 2014-2015 to 2019-2020. Data from week 11 of the 2019-2020 season onwards are excluded from the historical comparison due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: Public Health Agency of Canada
Public health officials have warned that hospitals across the country are already overburdened with flu, RSV, COVID-19 and other infections, and that is leading to growing calls for mask mandates.
–With files from Meredith Bond and The Canadian Press
