B.C. flu cases lower than previous years, says deputy provincial health officer
Plenty of colds and coughs, but influenza cases down across Canada
B.C.'s flu season is off to a slow start.
Every year, B.C.'s provincial health office tracks the progress of the latest influenza strain. This year, the numbers are down, according to B.C.'s Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
"We're in the lowest percentile of (general practice) billings for the past 10 years," Henry said.
While there are plenty of cases of coughs, sore throats and laryngitis circulating, Henry says not all of those illnesses are the flu.
Vancouver Coastal Heath spokeswoman Viola Kaminski said patients tested this year at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control showed a relatively low number of flu cases.
The tests, which were conducted during the last week of November and first week of December 2015, tested 375 patients for respiratory viruses. Of those, 16 patients — or four per cent —- tested positive for influenza, Kaminski said.
Across Canada less than one per cent of patients tested positive for the flu, she added. Officials were expecting a positive rate of between three and 12 per cent, based on data from the previous five flu seasons.
So far this year, Influenza A, or H3N2 is the most common flu strain affecting Canadians, Kaminski said.
Meanwhile, Henry said some of the credit goes to the flu shot. This year's vaccine seems to be a good match for this year's flu strain.
But, it's still a little early to tell, Henry added. "We generally see the peak in January, so we're not out of the woods yet."