Children make up the vast majority of flu cases in the central part of Saskatcheawn. (Photo 35109671 © Didecs | Dreamstime.com)

By Susan McNeil

COVID, influenza and RSV

Children are 60% of flu cases with PA, Northeast highest in province

Nov 14, 2022 | 12:52 PM

Children are getting a visit from the flu virus and most of them are across the central belt of Saskatchewan.

Of all the 260 cases of flu in Saskatchewan, 60 per cent are in children ranging from newborn to 19 years, and the region with the highest test positivity is the Northeast— which includes Melfort, Tisdale and Nipawin.

In that region, 60 per cent of all people tested are positive for the flu virus.

COVID is still very much in the picture with 1400 known cases recorded in Saskatchewan between October 23 and Nov. 5.

However, the province no longer routinely conducts PCR tests on COVID patients and those who test positive on a rapid test done at home are not included in the counts.

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There were 14 COVID outbreaks in the two-week reporting period, including at the Carrot River Health Centre, in Duck Lake and Maidstone, the Pineview Lodge in Nipawin, Mont St. Joseph Home in Prince Albert and at the Mennonite Nursing Home in Rosthern.

In the same time period, 24 cases of RSV were reported across Saskatchewan.

Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common cause of respiratory illness that results in hospitalization of babies.

COVID patients are still taking up almost 12 per cent of hospital beds with 358 people hospitalized in the two-week reporting period ending November 5.

Another 25 people were in ICU suffering from COVID, 16 people were hospitalized with influenza and four were in ICU.

Another 39 deaths from COVID were reported including two people in the 20 to 59 age group. The rest were aged 60 and older.

The province is also releasing numbers for hospital visits and 811 Health Line calls. The Northwest area, including North Battleford, has about 21 visits/1,000 for RLI (respiratory-like illness) and 101/1,000 calls to the Health Line.

Similar numbers for Prince Albert are not available but, in the Northeast, 26/1,000 emergency visits are for RLIs and the call rate was 130/1,000.

The highest numbers in Saskatchewan are in the Southeast region including Weyburn and Estevan with RLIs at 192/1,000 emergency visits and responsible for 155/1,000 calls to 811.

No numbers are available yet for school absenteeism caused by any of the illness included in the report.

The next report is due on November 24.

—

susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com