influenza in canada: stats, impact and resources

co-infections of flu and covid, for example, can occur at any age, posing a danger particularly to older people and others with weaker immune systems. and you really don’t want that, as research has shown that co-infections can be more serious then just getting sick with one virus at a time.

influenza stats in canada

the 2022 to 2023 flu season was intense but relatively brief, reports the public health agency of canada . there were 74,344 laboratory-confirmed influenza detections out of 1,188,962 total laboratory tests. this is the most detection, and the most tests ever recorded in one season. before the pandemic, we saw an average of 276,592 tests and 47,018 detections from 2014 to 2015 through to the 2018 to 2019 flu season.

statistics from the 2022 to 2023 season also note the following:

• 4,216 influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported by participating provinces and territories
• most hospitalizations were associated with influenza a (97 per cent)
• the highest cumulative hospitalization rates were among children aged 0 to four years (131 per 100,000 population) and adults aged 65 years and older (131 per 100,000 population)

in fact, flu and pneumonia are ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death in canada, notes infection prevention and control canada . estimates suggest that influenza causes approximately 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths each year.

in 2022, there were 15.4 deaths from flu and pneumonia in canada per 100,000 population.

also, research data reviewed by immunologists at johns hopkins university found that women are impacted differently than men :

• women typically experience greater morbidity and mortality during influenza outbreaks and pandemics
• women are less likely to accept vaccines
• women develop higher immunity and greater protection following vaccination

• only 43 per cent of adults aged 18 to 64 with chronic medical conditions were vaccinated
• 74 per cent of seniors were vaccinated, which is closer to the coverage goal of 80 per cent but doesn’t reflect significant improvement
• 21 per cent of people cited the most common reason for not getting the flu vaccine as just not getting around to it

the national advisory committee on immunization, or naci, an advisory body to the public health agency of canada, makes recommendations on the optimal use of vaccines available in canada and issues a statement each year . naci recommends an influenza vaccine for all people in canada aged six months and older who do not have contraindications to the vaccine. the flu vaccine is publicly funded and available across canada.

what coming in the 2024 to 2025 season?

instances of severe adverse reactions are uncommon, and the centers for disease control and prevention has found there is no association between vaccinations and an increased risk of death at the population level. research has also shown that individuals who became infected with the flu despite vaccination were 26 per cent less likely to end up in the icu and had a 31 per cent reduced risk of death.

basic prevention measures are also highly recommended, as infection prevention and control canada outlines the following:

• good hand hygiene practices, such as handwashing or use of an alcohol-based hand rub after contact with the eyes, mouth, nose or secretions
• avoid handling soiled tissues or objects used by an ill person
• cover coughs and sneezes
• ill persons should stay at home

impact of influenza on canadian society

when you look at the sheer number of people affected by flu, you get a sense of the impact on individuals, for one, and the cost to healthcare services. when kids get sick, family caregivers may need time off work. when employees get sick, absenteeism at workplaces soars, especially during flu season. the conference board of canada estimates that employee absenteeism costs the canadian economy more than $16 billion annually . this figure includes both direct costs of wages paid to absent employees and indirect costs of lost productivity and replacement worker costs.

• each case of influenza that resulted in hospitalization ended up costing the health care system between $14,000 and $20,000
• with an estimated 12,000 influenza hospitalizations each year, the cost to the canadian economy is between $168 and $240 million

again, vaccination is critical to reducing the impact. in 2016, the federal government committed $25 million to increase and maintain vaccination coverage by creating the immunization partnership fund , earmarking $3 to $5 million dollars in funding per year for five years to 2021. then covid-19 hit. an additional $54 million over three years, 2020 to 2023, was added to support community-based efforts to reduce vaccine preventable diseases and address vaccine misinformation and disinformation. further dollars were invested to expand efforts beyond covid-19 to flu and other infection, with $9.5 million for 2023 to 2024, followed by $20 million for 2023 to 2026 to further efforts to strengthen vaccine confidence and reduce barriers to vaccination, particularly among priority populations.

further, canadian researchers surveyed canadian adults 50 years and older in august 2019 and may 2020 to look at the impact of flu on their ability to work, volunteer and provide care (for kids or aging parents).

resources and support for influenza in canada

there are also telehealth services that are readily available. ontarians can call 811 (formerly telehealth) or chat online with a registered nurse to get health information, including help with flu to manage symptoms. visit health connect ontario to access the chat service. residents in all other provinces and territories can also call 811 to connect with a nurse in the case of a non-urgent health issue.

infection prevention and control canada has a list of resource links for canadians.

hota stresses the importance of vaccination and everyday prevention measures. in the bigger picture, she is concerned about the h5n1 avian flu outbreaks that are happening in dairy cattle in the u.s. “which is the first time this has ever been seen,” she says of the virus that has been percolating widespread in poultry farms in canada as well.