as the weather turns colder and we start spending more time indoors, most of us know to be vigilant about handwashing to help avoid picking up viruses such as influenza, commonly known as the flu. what many canadians may not be aware of, however, is the risk flu poses.
seasonal influenza remains a significant disease burden in canada during the fall and winter months. influenza is ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death in canada.
in the 2023-2024 flu season, nearly 80,000 influenza cases have been reported across canada, of which one in three cases were in children and adolescents.
anyone is susceptible to the influenza virus, but certain groups are at higher risk of experiencing flu-related complications or becoming hospitalized. among them are adults 65 and older, pregnant people, and children between six months and five years old.
“young children who come down with flu are at risk of developing ear infections or sinus infections,” says dr. rupesh chawla, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at jim pattison children’s hospital in saskatoon. “but what tends to land children in the hospital during flu season are secondary, bacterial infections resulting from flu, which can be quite serious.”