Alberta's influenza hospitalizations almost triple as flu season intensifies
The number of Albertans with a severe case of influenza nearly tripled last week – and a large number of those impacted are under the age of 20.
The province added more than 500 cases between Oct. 30 and Nov. 5, with 146 of those resulting in hospitalization.
That's a dramatic increase from the week before, when just 50 Albertans needed medical attention.
Young children and teenagers make up a large portion of the uptick.
Sixty-two of the 142 people currently hospitalized are under 20 years old, or 42 per cent.
"There are a lot of absent kids from classrooms right now," said Medeana Moussa with Support Our Students Alberta.
"And when we see these large absentee numbers, it means teachers have to work overtime and students fall behind. When those sick students come back into the classroom, there's catch-up work to be done."
In the 2021-22 flu season, a similar number of total influenza cases had not been reached until the end of April.
That could be a grim sign of the pattern to expect as autumn and winter progress.
"We've personally had our kids home sick throughout the fall season, and that's left a lot of families (like us) scrambling," Moussa said.
"I think we've gotten used to it over the last four years, but we shouldn't be."
Some believe the increase could be a side effect of the pandemic health measures.
"Because there has not been circulation of many of these viruses during the pandemic – it shut down most respiratory viruses when there was all the precautions in place – there's a lot less partially immune people," infectious disease specialist Lynora Saxinger said.
"And so when things get re-introduced, they're really getting off to a roaring start. We saw that with RSV, now we're seeing it with influenza."
The good news? By now, we should be familiar with ways to help our bodies cope.
"Get the flu shot," Saxinger said.
"You can even get that in one arm and a COVID-19 vaccine in the other."
Roughly 15 per cent of Albertans have received a flu immunization.
That's a decrease from last year.
"Influenza is not a cold," Saxinger added.
"It's a severe illness for some, and it's a miserable illness for many."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

4 in custody after 'brutal' death of Quebec entrepreneur, partner in Dominica
Four people are in police custody after Quebec businessman Daniel Langlois and his partner Dominique Marchand were found dead in Dominica.
Speaker Fergus apologizes, faces calls to resign over 'personal' video played at Ontario Liberal event
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized to MPs on Monday about a 'personal' video tribute message played this weekend at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention, but two opposition parties say that's not enough and are now calling for him to resign over his 'unacceptable' participation in a partisan event.
Unanimous vote to install menorah and nativity scene at Moncton City Hall
In a unanimous vote Monday night, Moncton City Council passed a motion to immediately install the menorah and nativity scene outside of city hall.
Canada's grocery retail sector one of the most competitive on Earth: Sobeys CEO
The top executive at Sobeys asserted on Monday that Canada has one of the most competitive grocery retail sectors on the planet -- even as Canadians continue to feel the bite of higher prices.
opinion As Trump burns through cash, powerful Republicans are rallying behind a surging candidate
With less than 50 days until Republican voters begin the process of determining their nominee to take on President Joe Biden, political analyst Eric Ham writes about a storm brewing within the GOP -- as super-donors align behind a surging candidate who could pose a threat to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Escaped kangaroo found safe after 3 days on the loose in Ontario
A kangaroo that escaped the Oshawa Zoo during a one-night stay last week has been recaptured after more than three days on the loose.
George Santos is offering personalized videos for US$200
George Santos already has a new gig. The former congressman, fresh off his historic expulsion last week, has created a Cameo account where the public can pay for a personalized video message.
70-year-old Ugandan woman gives birth to twins after fertility treatment
A 70-year-old woman in Uganda has given birth to twins after receiving fertility treatment, making her one of the world's oldest new mothers.
CBC says it is cutting 600 jobs, some programming as it slashes budget
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Radio-Canada will eliminate about 600 jobs and not fill an additional 200 vacancies. The cuts at CBC come days after the Liberal government suggested it may cap the amount of money CBC and Radio-Canada could get under a $100 million deal Ottawa recently signed with Google.