The number of flu cases is down in the Windsor area despite high flu activity across North America, says an official from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Nicole Fisher, manager of infectious disease prevention, says so far this season there have been 30 cases of influenza A, an H3 variation.
This time last year, the health unit saw 85 cases.
Fisher says this variance could be because people haven’t gone to their doctor during the holiday season.
The health unit says there could be an influx of flu cases come January. As a result, they’re asking people to get the flu shot.
Windsor Regional Hospital currently has no reported flu patients.
The first reported flu case in Windsor-Essex came on Dec. 3. Last year it came in November.
Flu season hitting hard in other regions
Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared this week that the proportion of deaths attributed to the flu and pneumonia have reached an "epidemic threshold."
The public health agency said in its latest weekly flu report, so far this season there have been 15 influenza-associated deaths among children.
Flu activity is high in about half of the U.S., with flu-like illnesses now approaching the peak levels seen during last year's flu season, the CDC said.
A total of 22 states experienced high flu activity, up from 13 states cited in the CDC's previous weekly report. As well, the proportion of people seeing a healthcare provider for flu-like illnesses increased to 5.5 per cent.
In some parts of Ontario, emergency rooms are filling up with patients reporting flu-like symptoms. Lakeridge Health, a hospital located in Whitby, Ont., said ER visits are 40 per cent higher than normal.
In its latest report, Public Health Ontario said there were 252 new influenza cases reported between Dec. 7 to Dec. 13, and a total of 596 flu cases reported this season.
With files from CTVNews.ca
