Flu deaths double to 6 in Calgary as new cases of main strain soar by more than 200

The number of people who had lab-confirmed cases of the flu and died has doubled in Calgary in a week, while more than 200 new cases of the predominant strain have popped up in the area.

Last week at this time, Alberta Health Services said there had been three fatalities in the Calgary area connected with influenza.

On Friday, the province release new figures that showed the number has climbed to six.

One person also died in the south zone and one in the Edmonton zone.

Calgary accounts for roughly half of all lab-confirmed cases of influenza in the province.

The vast majority of cases in Calgary and province-wide are influenza A, H3N2, which is the predominant strain.

There were more than 200 new confirmed cases of that strain in the Calgary zone in the past week, bringing the total to 710 so far this flu season.

Hospitalizations were also up, climbing to459 across the province.

The majority of hospitalizations werein the two biggest cities: 277 in Calgary and91 in Edmonton.

The predominant strain hits the very young and the elderly hardest, says Calgary's medical officer of health, Dr. Judy MacDonald.

"That's where we're seeing a lot of our activity currently, in those kinds of settings, long-term care or assisted living, lodge-type settings. We have 12 influenza-like illness outbreaks ongoing right now," she said.

Macdonald said there are also two outbreaks at Calgary hospitals.

Experts had predicteda bad year for the flu in Alberta after Australia saw a spike in hospitalizations and deaths during its flu season.

Health officials are encouraging Albertans to get a flu shot.

So far this year more than one million Albertans have been immunized.

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