Canada plunges into early flu season as vaccines begin to roll out
Experts agree that vaccination is the best way to prevent serious illness and complications from influenza.
Canada has experienced an early flu season, starting about seven weeks ahead of schedule this year, according to infectious disease experts. Health Canada reported a significant rise in influenza cases, with 6.1 per cent of tests detecting the virus in the week ending Oct. 17, a stark contrast to the 0.8 per cent positive rate in the same week of 2025.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist, clarified that while the early start is unusual, it is not alarming as Canada did not reach the epidemic threshold of 5 per cent until mid-November last year. The flu season began earlier than usual, possibly due to the later-than-usual end of Australia's flu season and the emergence of the virus on the west coast of the United States.
The dominant strain circulating this year is H1N1, the same strain responsible for the 2009 swine flu epidemic. While health officials are concerned about the emergence of a genetic mutation of H1N1 that could potentially evade human immunity, Dr. Jesse Papenburg from the Montreal Children's Hospital stated that the vaccine still offers substantial protection, reducing the severity of the illness and the likelihood of hospitalization or death.
Several provinces have started rolling out flu vaccines early, with P.E.I., Nova Scotia, and B.C. offering the vaccine to high-risk groups as early as October, and Ontario beginning its rollout for all eligible individuals on Oct. 26.
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