By Samantha Maciag

Flu season wrapping up to be “routine”: Sask Health

Apr 3, 2011 | 4:30 PM

While we can't seem to shake winter in Saskatchewan, we are starting to see the end of flu season.

“It was very much like a routine influenza year,” said Saskatchewan's Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.

The flu season typically peaks in February and early March and is gone by April. But, Shahab says the season started late in the province this year and carried on much more in March than usual. Saskatchewan Health is expecting it end in the next two or three weeks as they see the number of cases being reported drop as the weather gets warmer.

Shahab says compared to 2007-2008, the year before the H1N1 pandemic, more people are getting vaccinated with good results.

“It's showing in lower rates of illness in the community and lower rates of hospitalization.”

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

14h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

14h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

14h ago

Shahab says the pandemic year was unusual because one out of every two people were getting vaccinated, which skews the numbers.

As for the number of cases this season, Shahab didn't give specific numbers, but says about two-thirds of cases were Influenza A, the other third was split between H1N1 and Influenza B — a milder form.

For those surprised to hear H1N1, Shahab says it's now just one of the strains that will go around every year.

news@panow.com