Ten people between the ages of 18 and 64 have died from influenza in the western province of Alberta, according to health officials. Of 300 people now in hospital, 40 are in the intensive care unit.
The outbreak is not a pandemic, but H1N1 is the recurring strain of the virus that is affecting people this year, says Dr. James Talbot, chief medical officer of health for Alberta.
Not more cases, but worse illness
There are not more cases of flu this year, but people are getting sicker than usual, sometimes requiring hospitalization, reports the Public Health Agency of Canada. Flu is a common, infectious respiratory disease that begins in the nose and throat. H1N1 is unusual in that it sickens young and middle-aged adults and not necessarily those with underlying health problems.
Get vaccinated, say health officials
The Public Health Agency recommends people get the flu vaccine which this year includes immunization against the strain of H1N1 believed to be circulating now. Even if people have had H1N1 before or a vaccine against it, officials recommend they get vaccinated against the current strain.
There has been a rush on vaccination centres in Alberta. About 23 per cent of people living there have been immunized.
Health officials in other provinces are watching the situation closely because flu typically spreads across the country. There are about three more months of flu season left in Canada.
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