Cases of respiratory illness RSV up slightly in Nunavut

The Chief Medical officer of Health for Nunavut said there have been more lab-confirmed cases of RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, this year.

But Dr. Maureen Baikie said it has been a mild year overall.

"Our cases kind of follow what happens in the provinces to the South. So this year we had an early season in the Kivalliq, because they had an early season in Manitoba. We've had a number of cases in the Kitikmeot and then it started in Baffin late," she said.

Dr. Baikie says the RSV season is quite long and usually goes until the end of May.

Mild flu season

There were 85 confirmed cases of the flu this year, compared with 80 last year. Baikie said the flu has been mild in the past two years.

Baikie also said about 15 per cent of Nunavummiut were vaccinated against the flu this year. For a second year in a row, the government has offered the flu mist vaccine for children aged two to five years old.

This year, the vaccine was offered to anyone under 17 years old.

"So we haven't evaluated this flu season yet. But what's reported is that parents seem to like the nasal spray for children. It saves them having a needle," said Baikie.