Yellowknife is seeing a spike in flu cases among youth
CBC
The influenza virus is circulating through Yellowknife early this year and it’s affecting the city’s youth first.
On Monday alone, 247 students were absent from Sir John Franklin High School, according to Graham Arts, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and learning at Yellowknife Education District No. 1. That’s a little more than one-third of the student population.
While it’s not uncommon to see absences during the flu season, Arts said the number of missing students this week at the school was unusual.
“It would definitely be an increase over what we would normally expect to see,” he said.
A dip in attendance was also seen this week at Yellowknife Catholic Schools. Superintendent Adam Murray said 70 students were missing at École St. Joseph School this week due to sickness, about 50 from École St. Patrick High School and 29 at Weledeh Catholic School.
However, he did say absences this time of the year are normal.
The N.W.T.'s chief public health officer, Kami Kandola said the majority of flu cases in the territory have been influenza A with the H3 subtype, and it’s primarily hitting those 18 and under.
She said school students are among the least-vaccinated, and the rate of vaccination is around 10 per cent compared to 16 per cent overall in the territory.
“You have a large crowded situation with unvaccinated students and a lot of socialization,” Kandola said. “Students come to school sick, it can spread quickly.”
Kandola said there are signs of an early flu season in the territorial capital. Last year's season began in January, and Yellowknife began seeing a steady rise in influenza last Sunday.
Public health uses wastewater tests, absenteeism, confirmed influenza tests and 811 calls to determine the extent to which the virus has spread.
Kandola said there has been a spike in calls to 811, the territory's health advice line, this season, with 122 that are specifically related to respiratory issues.
She anticipates the virus to spread even further with the upcoming holiday season when people are travelling and out socializing in large groups.
To combat the spread, she is encouraging people to practice health measures.
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