Pediatric hospitalizations up in latest influenza epidemic – CTV

Nov. 16, 2022

The number of people battling the flu is soaring across the country.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s latest FluWatch report, the virus is spreading across much of Canada.

“At the national level, influenza activity has crossed the seasonal threshold, indicating the start of an influenza epidemic,” the report states. “All surveillance indicators are increasing and most are above expected levels typical of this time of year.”
The national test positivity rate alone nearly doubled in a week, jumping from 6.3 per cent to 11.7 per cent, surpassing the five per cent threshold that puts the country in an epidemic. The hardest-hit communities appear to be located within Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick.

Ryan Weichel’s six-year-old daughter, Sunny, is one of them. Just before her birthday, Sunny spent four days in hospital fighting the flu.

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/pediatric-hospitalizations-up-in-latest-influenza-epidemic-1.6154892