“It’s unprecedented”: No flu has been detected in Saskatchewan this season

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the country, cases of another infectious disease are proving difficult to find.

The flu is extremely low in most parts of Canada this flu season, and in Saskatchewan it is non-existent.

“It’s amazing, I mean it’s really unprecedented,” said Associate Professor Andrew Cameron of Queen’s University.

“This is a very good piece of news that I think we all need.”

According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, no flu cases have been confirmed in the province since the 2020-2021 flu season began.

The ministry’s data show that, about a year ago, on January 18, 2020, 1,154 cases of influenza and 10 resulting deaths were confirmed.

This year’s trend comes despite the fact that the ministry estimates that flu vaccinations by December 31, 2020 are actually low compared to the same period in 2019.

Cameron said that with the pandemic already pushing health care systems to capacity, the value of having a quiet flu season cannot be overstated.

“Vaccination rates are usually about 30%. We do not appreciate how significant the impact of the flu is. This causes significant mortality and a burden on health care each year. And it has a greater impact on the elderly, “he said.

As for why the flu hasn’t made a name for itself this season, health experts say we can thank the measures taken to prevent the spread of the more contagious and deadly coronavirus.

“If your car is weather-resistant to be good at -40, you know it will be good at -20,” said Kyle Andersen, a professor of biomedicine at the University of Saskatchewan.

Andersen said the flu is migrating between hemispheres after colder weather and that travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to have helped prevent the spread of flu viruses.

“It was less flu to start in places like Asia, South America and Australia, because they did the same things we have for COVID-19,” he said.

Andersen believes that as long as strict health measures are maintained, the trend of low flu numbers could continue in the next flu season.

“The flu is always reintroduced by bird and pig populations and things like that. So we will never be able to get rid of him “, he said. “But reducing the total number of people with the flu on Earth – this will have a long-term effect.”

Both Cameron and Andersen suggest that good physical distance and hygiene protocols will continue to be essential to ensure that the flu and COVD-19 do not overload Saskatchewan’s health care system until 2021 and beyond.

“I think we will reach a point where we will remove the restrictions and return to things, politically, normally. But fortunately, we can say things like “you know what, take a sick day.” Getting sick days is important, because it’s not only good for you, it’s good for other people. Or, [in the case of] disease, people may be more willing to wear a mask when they go out in public. ”

Cameron added that even with a significant portion of the population vaccinated for COVID-19, the combination of new disease and seasonal flu could still overwhelm health care resources in a worst-case scenario.

“The flu could return in revenge. Next year could be terrible, “said Cameron. “We might get what we feared wouldn’t happen this year – get the double hit.”