Calgary hardest hit by flu virus so far this season

The flu virus has been hitting Calgary harder than other regions of the province so far this season, according to numbers released Thursday by Alberta Health Services.

There have been 510 confirmed cases of influenza A in Alberta since Aug. 31, with 340 of those diagnosed in Calgary. That compares with86 in Edmonton.

There have also been 19 cases in the south zone, 24 in the central zone and 39 in the north zone.

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Eighty people in Calgary have been hospitalized after contracting the virus and 21 people in Edmonton required hospitalization.

There have been no deaths in Alberta associated to the flu so far this season.

Calgary has also seen the highest number of immunizations in the province.

In total, 656,907 Albertans have received a flu vaccine since clinics opened last month, with 247,269 of those in Calgary and 238,041 in Edmonton.

The vaccine is available in Calgary at thesefour clinics:

• Northgate, A154-495 36th Street N.E.
• Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, 1820 Richmond Road S.W.
• Brentwood Village Mall, 302-3630 Brentwood Road N.W.
• South Calgary Health Centre, 31 Sunpark Plaza S.E.

The clinics will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays until March. Vaccines are available free of charge to anyone over six months of age.

Vaccines are also available at walk-in clinics, pharmacies and doctors offices across the province.

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