Flu virus hits those under 10 the hardest

A disproportionate number of children under the age of 10 have been hit by the influenza virus this year, a noticeable difference than in previous years, says Quebec doctor and researcher Gaston De Serres.

“Children age zero to nine accounted for 29 per cent of all H1N1 cases among unvaccinated individuals in the 2018-19 season. This age group represents less than 10 per cent of the population,” he said.

And the 2009 H1N1 pandemic played a role in this situation, he added.

Working with colleagues, including some from the Institut national de Santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), he used figures from the Canadian Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network, which is dedicated to measuring the effectiveness of the flu shot every year.

They included anyone who saw a doctor for a flu-like symptom, including fever, cough and at least one other symptom. Samples were taken to identify who had the flu.

The data covered the period from Nov. 1, 2018, to March 18, 2019, in four provinces: Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

They found that of the entire population infected during this period, 29 per cent were under 10 years old. While in 2016-17, only 17 per cent were in this age group and 12 per cent in 2013-14.

According to said De Serres, the vaccine has been rather effective this year in the country, with up to 70-per-cent protection against the H1N1 virus. Research results were published by the scientific journal Eurosurveillance.

Presse Canadienne