“Unprecedented”: No flu case has been detected in Saskatchewan this season

As cases of COVID-19 continue to grow across the country, cases of another infectious disease are hard to find.

The number of flu is extremely low in most parts of Canada this flu season, and in Saskatchewan they are non-existent.

“It’s amazing, I mean it’s really unprecedented,” said Andrew Cameron, an associate professor of biology at Regina University.

“This is a note of good news that I think we all need.”

According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, no cases of influenza in the province have been confirmed since the 2020-2021 flu season began.

Ministry data show that about a year ago, as of January 18, 2020, 1,154 flu cases and ten resulting deaths had been confirmed.

This year’s trend comes despite the ministry estimating that flu vaccines by December 31, 2020 have decreased compared to the same period in 2019.

Cameron said that with the pandemic already boosting health systems, the value of having a quiet flu season cannot be overstated.

“Vaccination rates are usually around 30%. We don’t appreciate how important the impact of the flu is. It causes a significant mortality and burden on health care every year. And it mainly affects the elderly.” he said.

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As for why the flu has not become famous this season, health experts say we can appreciate the steps taken to prevent the most contagious and deadly coronavirus from spreading.

“If your car is weather-resistant and good at -40, you know it will be good at -20,” explained University of Saskatchewan biomedical professor Kyle Andersen.

Andersen said the flu migrates between hemispheres after a colder climate and that travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic would also help prevent the spread of flu viruses.

“There was less flu to start in places like Asia, South America and Australia because they have been doing the same things as us for COVID-19,” he said.

Andersen thinks that as long as strict health measures are maintained, the trend for low flu numbers could continue until the next flu season.

“The flu is always reintroduced by bird populations, pigs and things like that. So we’ll never be able to get rid of it,” he said. “But reducing the total number of people sick with the flu on Earth will have a long-term effect.”

Both Cameron and Andersen suggest that good physical distancing and hygiene protocols will continue to be critical to ensuring that influenza and COVD-19 do not overload Saskatchewan’s health care system until 2021 and beyond.

“I think we will reach a point where we will remove the restrictions and return to things, according to the policies, normally. But hopefully we can say things like, “you know what, a sick day goes by.” Taking sick days is important because this is not only good for you, but good for other people. O, [in the case of] illness, people may be more willing to wear a mask when they go out in public ”.

Cameron added that even with a significant portion of the population vaccinated against COVID-19, the combination of the new disease and seasonal flu could still overwhelm health resources at worst.

“The flu could return in revenge. Next year can be terrible, ”said Cameron. “It could be that we got what we feared would happen this year, that we got the double hit.”