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The unusually late start of the influenza season in southwestern Ontario is no reason to turn a blind eye, regional health officials said.
The Middlesex London Health Unit has not had laboratory confirmed influenza cases since September 1st. During the same period last year, there were seven laboratory confirmed cases – during a particularly deadly influenza year in the London area. In 2016, there were eight.
There are also no laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in Elgin and Oxford counties, said Dr. Joyce Lock, public health physician in charge of public health in the Southwest, but this should not be the case. not last long.
"There have been cases in the areas around us, like Niagara and Toronto. If I understand correctly, there has been a bit of sporadic activity in Perth and Haldimand-Norfolk, "Lock said. "It should be on our doorstep soon. So the faster people get the flu shot, the better.
Chatham-Kent had a positive influenza hospitalization test for a hospitalized patient about a month ago, said Chatham-Kent Public Health Bureau Medical Officer of Health Dr David Colby. This is the only case they have had so far this flu season.
Across Ontario, public health units reported 41 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases between November 11 and 17 – the latest data available.
The exact reason for the slow onset of the influenza season in the London area is unclear, said Mary Lou Albanese, head of the infectious disease control team at Middlesex-London Health Unit.
"It's a little unusual that we do not have a case yet," she said. "The vaccine is certainly at the top in terms of circulation and circulation in other hemispheres. So, that could certainly be related to that. "
The late influenza season begins in the London area after last winter's brutal flu index, the worst in years. The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported 44 influenza deaths during the 2017-2018 influenza season and 870 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza. In the past five years, the local public health agency has recorded between 380 and 480 laboratory-confirmed cases during the influenza season.
Albanese said that there was some discrepancy between the vaccine available last year and the strains that circulated but is encouraged by this season's flu shot.
And while Canadian health officials are watching the virus trends in Australia during the influenza season from May to October to get a sense of what Canadians might be like, Albanese can not be divined about what the South -West Ontario is waiting in the coming months.
"We try not to predict because it's Murphy's law that we get the opposite," she said. "It's the flu challenge, it's completely unpredictable and it can change."
As the virus is not very active in the region, it's a good time to get a flu shot, Albanese said. It can take several weeks for newly vaccinated individuals to trigger an immune response.
In Oxford and Elgin counties, Lock said the flu shot application has been good so far. The health service thus exhausted its initial stock of vaccine and had to import more to meet the demands of family doctors and pharmacies.
Although influenza is not yet in health department statistics, Lock said it is important for the public to remain vigilant.
"We encourage people to get the flu shot and do all the other healthy activities, such as washing their hands, coughing on their elbows and staying home when they're sick," she said.
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