As flu cases spike in B.C. doctor urges public to mask up and get vaccinated

Influenza cases are soaring across Canada, according to the latest national FluWatch – and Metro Vancouver is no exception, with the region seeing an above average case count for this time of year.

According to the report released Friday, B.C. is one of the hardest hit regions in the country.

The report finds that between Nov. 20 and Nov. 26, 8,226 laboratory detections were reported nationally, compared to the 5,891 reported in the previous week, which is an increase of nearly 40 per cent. The spike in cases comes as the health-care system, particularly children's hospitals and emergency rooms, in already under serious strain.

The groups experiencing more serious outcomes from influenza were children under the age of five and adults over the age of 65, according to the report.

Vancouver-based family physician Dr. Anna Wolak said flu season started earlier this year than it typically has in the past, and the surge is showing no sign of slowing down.

“What’s really alarming now is that the rate of positive infections is climbing really quite rapidly. It’s quite steep at the moment,” she said, adding that this trend can be seen both locally and globally.

"As a physician, as a parent, it makes me quite nervous, really quite scared that this is going to overwhelm the healthcare system.

“And it's our little ones that are going to bear the brunt of it. We need to look at this again like we did in March 2020,” she continued.

BC Children's Hospital said the bulk of visits to its emergency department recently have been for viral illness including the flu, RSV and COVID-19. In recent weeks, wait times at that ED have been as long as 12 hours.

On Saturday morning, a "code orange" was briefly called at the hospital and health officials didn't say why.

While it was cancelled less than 30 minutes later, the emergency code is typically reserved for natural disasters and mass casualty events.

In a statement to CTV News, Sarah Bell, the Chief Operating Officer of BC Children's Hospital said the “Emergency Department at BC Children’s Hospital is experiencing high volumes and high acuity. ED wait times widely fluctuate across all acute care sites and this can be due to a multitude of factors."

As the holiday season brings larger groups of people together, Wolak urges the public to mask up when they’re indoors and get their flu shot.

She thinks not nearly enough people are getting vaccinated, which she says helps reduce both the severity of symptoms and the rate of hospitalization.

On Monday, B.C. health officials will be holding a news that will address " protecting children during influenza season." Health Minister Adrian Dix, Dr. Bonnnie Henry, and Dr. Penny Ballem are scheduled to speak at 11:30 a.m.