Hospitalizations caused by the flu in Sudbury tripled compared to last year

WATCH: Full, raw interview with Katie Junkin of Public Health Sudbury & Districts about the spike in influenza cases and hospitalizations.

Flu season is ramping up in the Sudbury area and while it is typical to see an increase in cases this time of year, the number of hospitalizations has tripled compared with last year.

Katie Junkin, a health protection specialist with Public Health Sudbury & Districts, said the first confirmed case was in early September.

But cases started to spike around the middle of December.

“What we know is that at this time of year we, we do typically see an increase in influenza activity,” Junkin said.

“Influenza typically follows a relatively seasonal pattern in the sense that we see an increase of cases kind of a peak and then a decrease, and we’re certainly still in that incline.”

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Hospitalizations tripled over last year

The public health agency publishes respiratory illness data on its website with updates every Wednesday.

During the first week of February, there were 20 confirmed new influenza cases, which the agency considers moderate.

However, from Feb. 2-8, there were 40 new hospital admissions due to the flu and four new influenza outbreaks.

“What we are seeing is that hospitalizations are a little bit higher this year than what we’ve seen in the past,” Junkin said.

“So that 40 number of hospitalizations that we saw is about three times the number that we saw last year in any week during our influenza season.”

Three strains circulating

Three flu strains are circulating in the Greater Sudbury area: influenza A H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B.

“So, what we’re seeing of those virus samples that have been sequenced we’re predominantly seeing influenza A of the H1N1 strain that is (a) different strain mutated from what we saw during the swine flu, but it is that same type of strain,” Junkin said.

Not too late to get vaccinated

Flu vaccines have been available since October.

The health unit said in past years, about 35 to 40 per cent of the population ages 12 and older get the flu vaccine. Data is not yet available for this season.

“So the vaccine each year is created based on global surveillance data, typically from the past influenza season and looking at predictions or projections of the types of strains that we might see circulating in the current season,” Junkin said.

“This year’s vaccine, we’ve seen that it is a very good match for the H3N2 (strain) that is circulating. It’s not quite as good of a match of the H1N1.”

Despite not being a perfect match, the current vaccine can reduce severe complications and provide more than 50 per cent protection against the H1N1 strain, she added.

The flu vaccine usually takes about two weeks to be effective.

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When it comes to recovering from the flu, the level of immunity is different for every individual.

“Typically, our body’s immune system does develop a certain level of protection following infection,” Junkin said.

“Unfortunately, that’s not the same across all people and all strains, so we can’t really give up a hard and fast rule in terms of the length of immunity. So even after you’ve been ill, it’s very important to maintain those precautions, especially as we are very much in the peak of respiratory season.”