FluWatch report: August 28 to September 10, 2016 (weeks 35-36)
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Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Date published: 2016-09-16
Related Topics
Overall Summary
In week 36, the majority of regions in Canada reported no influenza activity. Sporadic influenza activity was reported in 11 regions across five provinces and territories (YK, BC, AB, ON, and QC). For more details on a specific region, click on the map.
Figure 1 - Map of overall influenza/ILI activity level by province and territory, Canada, Week 36
Note: Influenza/ILI activity levels, as represented on this map, are assigned and reported by Provincial and Territorial Ministries of Health, based on laboratory confirmations, sentinel ILI rates and reported outbreaks. Please refer to detailed definitions at the end of the report. Maps from previous weeks, including any retrospective updates, are available in the mapping feature found in the Weekly Influenza Reports. Figure 1 - Text Description Laboratory Confirmed Influenza Detections
In week 35-36, the percentage of tests positive for influenza remained at interseasonal levels, ranging from 0.2% in week 35 to 0.7% in week 36. For data on other respiratory virus detections, see the Respiratory Virus Detections in Canada Report on the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) website.
Figure 2 - Number of positive influenza tests and percentage of tests positive, by type, subtype and report week, Canada, 2016-17
The shaded area indicates weeks where the positivity rate was at least 5% and a minimum of 15 positive tests were observed, signaling the start and end of seasonal influenza activity. Figure 2 - Text Description Nationally in weeks 35-36, there were 13 positive influenza tests reported. The detections of influenza A and B were approximately equal in weeks 35 and 36. The majority of regions across Canada reported no influenza detections. For more detailed weekly and cumulative influenza data, see the text descriptions for figures 2 and 3 or the Respiratory Virus Detections in Canada Report.
Figure 3 - Cumulative numbers of positive influenza specimens by type/subtype and province/territory, Canada, 2016-17 Figure 3 - Text Description To date this season, detailed information on age and type/subtype has been received for less than five cases.
Syndromic/Influenza-like Illness Surveillance
Healthcare Professionals Sentinel Syndromic Surveillance
In week 36, 0.98% of visits to healthcare professionals were due to ILI.
Figure 4 - Percentage of visits for ILI reported by sentinels by report week, Canada, 2016-17
Number of participants reporting in week 36: 82
Delays in the reporting of data may cause data to change retrospectively. In BC, AB, and SK, data are compiled by a provincial sentinel surveillance program for reporting to FluWatch. Not all sentinel physicians report every week. Figure 4 - Text Description
In weeks 35-36, no new laboratory confirmed influenza outbreaks were reported.
Figure 5 - Overall number of new laboratory-confirmed influenza outbreaksFigure 5 - Footnote1 by report week, Canada, 2016-17 Figure 5 - Footnote 1 All provinces and territories except NU report influenza outbreaks in long-term care facilities. All provinces and territories with the exception of NU and QC report outbreaks in hospitals. Outbreaks of influenza or influenza-like-illness in other facilities are reported to FluWatch but reporting varies between jurisdictions. Outbreak definitions are included at the end of this report.
Return to Figure 5 - Footnote1referrer
Figure 5 - Text Description Provincial/Territorial Influenza Hospitalizations and Deaths
In weeks 35-36, less than five influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported by participating provinces and territoriesFootnote*.
Footnote * Note: Influenza-associated hospitalizations are not reported to PHAC by: BC, NU, and QC. Only hospitalizations that require intensive medical care are reported by SK. ICU admissions are not distinguished among hospital admissions reported from ON. It is important to note that the hospitalization or death does not have to be attributable to influenza, a positive laboratory test is sufficient for reporting.
Return to footnote*referrer
Sentinel Hospital Influenza Surveillance
Pediatric Influenza Hospitalizations and Deaths
Surveillance of laboratory-confirmed influenza associated pediatric (≤16 years of age) hospitalizations from the IMPACT network has not yet begun for the 2016-17 season.
Influenza Strain Characterizations
The National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) has not yet reported any influenza strain characterizations for the 2016-17 season.
...
Download the alternative format
(PDF format, 765 KB, 6 pages)
Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Date published: 2016-09-16
Related Topics
Overall Summary
- This is the first FluWatch report of the 2016-17 influenza season.
- Influenza activity is at interseasonal levels with all regions of Canada reporting low to no influenza activity.
- In week 36, sporadic influenza activity was reported in 11 regions across five provinces and territories (YK, BC, AB, ON, and QC).
- A total of 13 positive influenza detections were reported in weeks 35 and 36 and the detections of influenza A and B were approximately equal.
- In week 36, 0.98% of visits to sentinel healthcare professionals were due to ILI.
- No outbreaks were reported in weeks 35 and 36.
- Low numbers of hospitalizations were reported in weeks 35 and 36.
- For more information on the flu, see our Flu(influenza) web page.
- Influenza/Influenza-like Illness (ILI) Activity (geographic spread)
- Laboratory Confirmed Influenza Detections
- Syndromic/Influenza-like Illness Surveillance
- Influenza Outbreak Surveillance
- Provincial/Territorial Influenza Hospitalizations and Deaths
- Sentinel Hospital Influenza Surveillance
- Influenza Strain Characterizations
- Antiviral Resistance
- Provincial and International Influenza Reports
- FluWatch definitions for the 2016-2017 season
In week 36, the majority of regions in Canada reported no influenza activity. Sporadic influenza activity was reported in 11 regions across five provinces and territories (YK, BC, AB, ON, and QC). For more details on a specific region, click on the map.
Figure 1 - Map of overall influenza/ILI activity level by province and territory, Canada, Week 36
Note: Influenza/ILI activity levels, as represented on this map, are assigned and reported by Provincial and Territorial Ministries of Health, based on laboratory confirmations, sentinel ILI rates and reported outbreaks. Please refer to detailed definitions at the end of the report. Maps from previous weeks, including any retrospective updates, are available in the mapping feature found in the Weekly Influenza Reports. Figure 1 - Text Description Laboratory Confirmed Influenza Detections
In week 35-36, the percentage of tests positive for influenza remained at interseasonal levels, ranging from 0.2% in week 35 to 0.7% in week 36. For data on other respiratory virus detections, see the Respiratory Virus Detections in Canada Report on the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) website.
Figure 2 - Number of positive influenza tests and percentage of tests positive, by type, subtype and report week, Canada, 2016-17
The shaded area indicates weeks where the positivity rate was at least 5% and a minimum of 15 positive tests were observed, signaling the start and end of seasonal influenza activity. Figure 2 - Text Description Nationally in weeks 35-36, there were 13 positive influenza tests reported. The detections of influenza A and B were approximately equal in weeks 35 and 36. The majority of regions across Canada reported no influenza detections. For more detailed weekly and cumulative influenza data, see the text descriptions for figures 2 and 3 or the Respiratory Virus Detections in Canada Report.
Figure 3 - Cumulative numbers of positive influenza specimens by type/subtype and province/territory, Canada, 2016-17 Figure 3 - Text Description To date this season, detailed information on age and type/subtype has been received for less than five cases.
Table 1 - Footnote 1 Table 1 includes specimens for which demographic information was reported. These represent a subset of all positive influenza cases reported. Cumulative data include updates to previous weeks. Return to Table 1 - Footnote1referrer Table 1 - Footnote 2 Percentage of tests positive for sub-types of influenza A are a percentage of all influenza A detections. Return to Table 1 - Footnote2referrer Table 1 - Footnote UnS Unsubtyped: The specimen was typed as influenza A, but no result for subtyping was available. Specimens from NT, YT, and NU are sent to reference laboratories in other provinces. Return to Table 1 - FootnoteUnSreferrer |
||||||||||||
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | <5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | <5 | <5 | 50% | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
<5 | 0 | 0 | <5 | 0 | <5 | 0 | 0 | <5 | 0 | <5 | 50% | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | |
<5 | 0 | 0 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 0 | 0 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 100% | |
50% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 50% | 50% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 50% | - | - |
Healthcare Professionals Sentinel Syndromic Surveillance
In week 36, 0.98% of visits to healthcare professionals were due to ILI.
Figure 4 - Percentage of visits for ILI reported by sentinels by report week, Canada, 2016-17
Number of participants reporting in week 36: 82
Delays in the reporting of data may cause data to change retrospectively. In BC, AB, and SK, data are compiled by a provincial sentinel surveillance program for reporting to FluWatch. Not all sentinel physicians report every week. Figure 4 - Text Description
Are you a primary healthcare practitioner (General Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner or Registered Nurse) interested in becoming a FluWatch sentinel?
Please visit our Influenza Sentinel page for more details.
Influenza Outbreak SurveillancePlease visit our Influenza Sentinel page for more details.
In weeks 35-36, no new laboratory confirmed influenza outbreaks were reported.
Figure 5 - Overall number of new laboratory-confirmed influenza outbreaksFigure 5 - Footnote1 by report week, Canada, 2016-17 Figure 5 - Footnote 1 All provinces and territories except NU report influenza outbreaks in long-term care facilities. All provinces and territories with the exception of NU and QC report outbreaks in hospitals. Outbreaks of influenza or influenza-like-illness in other facilities are reported to FluWatch but reporting varies between jurisdictions. Outbreak definitions are included at the end of this report.
Return to Figure 5 - Footnote1referrer
Figure 5 - Text Description Provincial/Territorial Influenza Hospitalizations and Deaths
In weeks 35-36, less than five influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported by participating provinces and territoriesFootnote*.
0 | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
<5 | 0 | <5 (100%) | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
0 | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
0 | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
0 | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
<5 | 0 | <5 (100%) | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
Return to footnote*referrer
Sentinel Hospital Influenza Surveillance
Pediatric Influenza Hospitalizations and Deaths
Surveillance of laboratory-confirmed influenza associated pediatric (≤16 years of age) hospitalizations from the IMPACT network has not yet begun for the 2016-17 season.
Influenza Strain Characterizations
The National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) has not yet reported any influenza strain characterizations for the 2016-17 season.
...
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