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Influenza season may have arrived early, says health expert

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With the recent change in weather health professionals are concerned about the upcoming flu season.

“It's probably here already,” said Erika Vitale, infection prevention and control manager at Windsor Regional Hospital, adding a patient has already been admitted to hospital which suggests influenza could already be spreading in the community.

“That is about two months earlier than I would typically see a patient hospitalized for flu so it kinda does reflect what we had heard about the Australian flu season,” she said.

Australia experienced one of its worst flu season in history this past summer which began earlier than usual. Vitale says the peak down under during flu season is typically August to September.

“Our peak is typically January to February so for two months earlier I think October to November we could expect to see a number of influenza cases,” Vitale said.

Plus, COVID-19 is still in the community as noticed by local pharmacists like the owner of Rob’s Whole Health Pharmacy in LaSalle.

Rob Modestino says he is receiving calls from COVID-positive residents asking for delivery of cough medicine.

“Just people in general calling us up saying they're positive. People who have had to delay their booster vaccines because they've been positive in the last week or two,” said Modestino.  

Health unit staff confirm the increase in recent cases.

“Our waste water for the first time in a couple of weeks, or in a few weeks actually, has shown an increase as well and we'll continue to monitor that trend,” Ramsey D’Souza, Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) epidemiology manager, said.

As of noon Wednesday, Windsor Regional Hospital is reporting 35 patients with COVID-19 but none of them are in the ICU.   

With limited exposure to influenza during the pandemic, Vitale encourages people to get vaccinated when doses become available in October.

“If you fit into high risk categories like if you're over the age of 65, if you’re pregnant, Indigenous, if you have a chronic health care condition like COPD or diabetes and if you live or work in a high risk setting you should get the flu shot as soon as it’s available for you,” she said.

Modestino encourages residents to take precautions like wash your hands and stay at home if you’re sick.

“We need to get back to normal but we need to keep an eye on things,” he said.  

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