A surge in flu cases in New Brunswick has health officials urging people to avoid emergency departments, if possible, and to get vaccinated.
Flu activity has “ramped up really, really quick,” said Dr. Yves Léger, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health.
And it could prove to be a worse flu season than usual, he said.
The dominant circulating strain — influenza A (H3N2) — tends to cause more severe illness, especially among the elderly, and is evading some of the protection provided by this year’s vaccine formula, he said.
It’s “concerning,” Léger said.
Flu season started early, and there’s been a ‘very rapid’ increase in case numbers, said Dr. Yves Léger, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health. (CBC)290% jump in hospitalizations so far
The flu killed three New Brunswickers, all aged 65 or older, between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3, according to the latest Respiratory Watch report. That’s up from no flu deaths during the same period in 2024-25, and raises the seasonal death toll to 11, up from three.
The virus also sent 87 people to hospital during that holiday week, including six children aged four or under and three youths aged five to 19, compared to 35 a year ago, the data shows. Five people required intensive care, up from two.
The flu hospitalizations by week shows a recent surge across New Brunswick, compared to historical data. » Read More
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