Alberta is on the brink of a grim milestone: this flu season could become the deadliest in its recorded history, surpassing the previous record by a staggering margin. But here's where it gets even more alarming: the province is already trailing the 2024-25 record by nearly 30 deaths, and the season isn’t over yet. With 197 flu-related deaths so far, this season now ranks as the second-deadliest since public records began in 2009. To put this in perspective, the current record of 236 deaths from the 2024-25 season might soon be overshadowed, despite the flu season ending in the coming months.
Craig Jenne, a professor of microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary, warns that Alberta is on track to far exceed these numbers. As of mid-January, 370 Albertans are hospitalized with the flu, including 26 in intensive care. And this is the part most people miss: the province is grappling with a unique strain of influenza, subtype H3N2, which has deviated from initial predictions, making it particularly challenging to manage.
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vivien Suttorp, describes this season as “unique,” highlighting the unexpected dominance of H3N2. While test positivity rates and case counts are starting to decline, and hospitalizations for influenza A are dropping, the virus is expected to persist for months, bringing with it severe cases. Here’s the controversial part: only about one in five Albertans have received their flu shot—one of the lowest vaccination rates in years. This has led to a surge in secondary infections like pneumonia, raising questions about public health preparedness and individual responsibility.
As the flu peak may have passed, according to Suttorp, the focus now shifts to long-term prevention. But the low vaccination rate remains a pressing concern. Is this a failure of public health messaging, or are there deeper societal factors at play? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. As Alberta navigates this unprecedented flu season, one thing is clear: the need for proactive measures has never been more urgent.
