Alberta has recorded its first flu-related death of the 2026-27 season, which started Aug. 30. Flu statistics are measured between the end of August until the end of August the following year, and this year, the number of cases spiked early compared to the last couple of flu seasons. According to the province, there have already been 238 lab-confirmed flu cases in Calgary, with 64 hospitalizations and five ICU admissions. Overall in Alberta, there have been 428 lab-confirmed flu cases, 112 hospitalizations and 14 ICU admissions, along with the death of a woman between 70 and 79 years old. As far as immunizations, 2,876 Albertans have gotten a flu shot, including 1,777 shots in Calgary alone. The province’s respiratory dashboard shows higher numbers early in 2026-27 compared to last year, when the number of confirmed cases didn’t really start until early October -- or in 2024, when it didn’t start until November.
