Flu deaths in Alberta now stand at 55

A total of 55 Albertans have died this season after contracting influenza, including 24 in the Calgary region and 16 in the Edmonton zone.

The latest weekly update from Alberta Health Services also shows flu-related hospitalizations across the province have climbed to more than 2,000 for the season, up from 1,800 reported the previous week.

Calgary continues to lead the way in accounting for more than 1,700 of the admissions, while more than 1,200 have occurred in the Edmonton region, AHS said.

Both the death toll and hospitalization tally are well ahead of last year’s pace.

At the same point in the season in 2017, Alberta had recorded 924 admissions to hospital related to the virus, and 34 deaths.

The 2016-17 flu season ended with 64 deaths.

An accompanying report shows 65 per cent of AHS employees have received the flu shot so far this season as of Jan. 15, up from a rate of 55 per cent recorded in early December.

That represents the highest percentage the health authority has achieved in the last four years, although it is still below the target of 80 per cent or above. Last season, 63 per cent of AHS workers were immunized.

As for Covenant Health workers, 54 per cent have received the flu shot this year — roughly equivalent to the same rate the Catholic health agency recorded last season.

Individual facilities that have reached or surpassed the 80 per cent immunization target include Oilfields General Hospital in Black Diamond, Strathmore District Health Services, Coronation Hospital, Hardisty Health Centre, Evansburg Health Centre and the Bassano Health Centre.