Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said it\u2019s the first time she has noticed Manitoba is absent from the map.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t A screengrab of Health Canada\u2019s surveillance map for influenza activity, captured Dec. 23, 2025, shows no data reporting in Manitoba and Nova Scotia. (Health Canada)<\/p>\n \u201cI do review this data fairly routinely, and this is the first time looking at the interactive data map and seeing no data being submitted,\u201d Carr said Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s obviously not ideal in terms of ongoing surveillance and disclosures for people to review,\u201d said the principal consultant at EPI Research Inc.<\/p>\n The provincial government said Tuesday it was looking into the reasons for the lack of data. It did not give an explanation by the end of day.<\/p>\n The province did issue a news release that warned this year\u2019s respiratory virus season started earlier and is more severe; Manitobans were urged to get vaccinated.<\/p>\n \u201cSevere outcomes are already occurring, particularly in unvaccinated people and can affect otherwise healthy children, and include hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n The province posted its latest respiratory virus surveillance report for the week ending Dec. 13. It shows 121 associated hospital admissions, with 14 patients needing intensive care and 15 associated fatalities. Thirty fatalities have been reported so far this flu season in Manitoba.<\/p>\n It said 20.6 per cent of the overall Manitoba population has been vaccinated for the current flu season. Among Manitobans age 65 and older, 54.4 per cent got the shot.<\/p>\n Vaccination rates this flu season are lower for all age groups than last season, \u201cand this particular variant is hitting young people hard and it\u2019s increasing quickly,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur youngest, who are the hardest hit, are more likely to be hospitalized or have severe outcomes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Twelve per cent of one- to four-year-olds received flu shots this year compared to 17 per cent last year.<\/p>\n Ten per cent of five- to 19-year-olds are vaccinated compared to 17 per cent last year, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cCombined with this strain, that tends to create more challenges or illness for our youngest residents \u2014 this is really creating a more risky situation, unfortunately.\u201d Carr echoed the province\u2019s call for Manitobans to get the COVID-19 and flu shots that are widely available and free for all Manitobans aged six months and older. She urged adults and kids to do it this week.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you could possibly pop in to your pharmacy or see a health-care provider to get yourself and your child vaccinated, that starts to develop and work with your immune system over the next two weeks,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking into New Year\u2019s Eve, you\u2019re starting to get some protection,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n Influenza B, one of the strains targeted by the vaccine, can bring serious illness closer to the start of spring, she noted.<\/p>\n While this year\u2019s flu vaccine has been criticized for not being a close match to the strain that is circulating, it is worth getting, Carr said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s still having an impact in terms of the duration of illness, the severity of illness, even though it\u2019s not a perfect match,\u201d the epidemiologist said. \u201cIt\u2019s still showing about a 70 per cent effectiveness in reducing hospitalization among kids and about 35 per cent, at least, in older adults.\u201d<\/p>\n Every vaccinated person makes a difference in protecting those who are most vulnerable and easing the burden on the health-care system, the province\u2019s news release said.<\/p>\n For the week ending Dec. 13, Manitoba\u2019s flu surveillance reported 1,896 respiratory-related emergency department visits.<\/p>\n Long-term care homes counted 17 flu outbreaks. Hospitals reported three outbreaks.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Carr said anyone who doesn\u2019t feel well should consider wearing a mask and avoid holiday gatherings.<\/p>\n \u201cWith influenza, it\u2019s not like COVID-19 where there can be kind of that length of time where you don\u2019t know you\u2019re infected or infectious,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n \u201cInfluenza tends to hit hard and fast. So if you\u2019re suddenly feeling sick, stay home, stay in bed, because it could very well be influenza, if you get that severe onset of symptoms with fever, achiness, things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Health Canada\u2019s wastewater monitoring report<\/a> showed high levels of the flu in Manitoba as of Dec. 7, with samples from Winnipeg\u2019s North End and South End representing 43.2 per cent of the province\u2019s population. Samples also showed moderate levels of COVID-19 and RSV.<\/p>\n carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Carol Sanders Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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