National

Flu season getting back to normal in B.C.: Henry

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 13 Jan, 2023 05:06 PM

VICTORIA - The influenza outbreak that resulted in the deaths of six young people in British Columbia last month is on the decline, but the provincial health officer says the flu season is far from over.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says there have been no reported deaths of young people since last month when the province experienced an unusual spike of flu-rated cases during November and December.

Join Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, for an update about the respiratory illness season in British Columbia. https://t.co/cPnOF75P8s
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) January 13, 2023

She says the flu season, which includes influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus, usually runs from December to March, but it hit young people early and hard this year, likely due to their lack of immunity after two years of COVID-19 prevention protocols.

Henry says there were 661 new cases of COVID-19 reported over the past week, including 24 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant XBB 1.5.

However, she says the numbers of people in hospital for COVID-19 and flu-related illnesses are declining, a factor connected to the those who received a COVID-19 booster vaccine and flu shot.

Henry says she expects any surge in flu this spring will be less severe than last month when hospitals and emergency rooms were overflowing with patients.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Trial for B.C. mayor charged with public mischief

McCallum ran his campaign against the backdrop of the charge laid last December, four months after he complained to the RCMP that a woman collecting signatures to keep the Mounties in Surrey ran over his foot outside a grocery store.

Trial for B.C. mayor charged with public mischief

NTSB seeks inspection of Canadian-made plane

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued an urgent safety recommendation Thursday, calling on Transport Canada and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to require immediate inspections of De Havilland Canada DHC-3 airplanes, better known as the DHC-3 Otter.

NTSB seeks inspection of Canadian-made plane

Feds move toward stand-alone dental insurance

Health Canada officials, who gave a briefing on the condition they not be named publicly, said that would help the government refine the program before hiring a company to do the work. The Liberals committed to some form of federal dental-care coverage for low-income Canadians in its March confidence and supply agreement with the New Democrats.

Feds move toward stand-alone dental insurance

Freeland's fiscal update coming Thursday

The fiscal update, to be presented in the House of Commons, will also share the government's outlook for an economy facing high inflation and staring down a potential recession in the coming months.

Freeland's fiscal update coming Thursday

New storm bears down on coastal B.C.

The incoming storm is also expected to deluge parts of Metro Vancouver, including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, with more than 100 millimetres of rain before it eases late Sunday and the weather office says rainfall warnings are likely to be issued as the forecasts are refined.

New storm bears down on coastal B.C.

Dental care benefit passes third reading

Dental care is a pillar of the supply and confidence deal between the Liberals and the NDP. The Liberals promised to launch a federal dental care insurance program by the end of 2022, starting with coverage for children from low- and middle-income families.