According to infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger, this year's high flu death toll really sticks out compared to other years. Provincial data shows 167 people died of influenza during the 2023-24 flu season, eclipsing all other seasons dating back to 2009.
"Coupled with the fact that most people didn't get influenza vaccination as much as usual over the pandemic period, I think that people's immune systems were a little bit caught unawares by the H1N1 strain that was coming through. It is in all the vaccines," she said. Public health also began tracking community deaths, in addition to hospital deaths, during the 2020-21 season. However community deaths account for a small proportion of the totals — between five and seven deaths in each of the last three seasons.
"Part of that may be a hard look at our influenza campaign. We do know that flu shot numbers were down this year compared to really the last decade or more."
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