Flu rates trending down in Saskatchewan, new data shows

Regina General Hospital (File photo)

After peaking in mid-December, Saskatchewan’s test positivity rate for influenza appears to be trending down, according to new data from the provincial government.

The latest Community Respiratory Illness Surveillance Program (CRISP) report shows the test positivity over the window from Dec. 28 to Jan. 10 was at 17.3 per cent. It’s a sharp decline from the peak of 40.8 per cent positivity in mid-December.

Flu-related hospitalizations have also dropped by nearly half, from 159 to 74. Three people died of flu-related causes in the reporting period.

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As influenza slows down, RSV has trended up from 2.7 per cent to 4.7 per cent after the holidays, followed by a slight drop to 4.5 per cent.

COVID-19 has also gone up to 6.1 per cent, just under a one per cent increase from the previous week. Provincial wastewater activity was “moderate.”

RSV and COVID-related hospitalizations have also increased, but no deaths have been reported due to either illness in the past two weeks.

Thirty-six respiratory virus outbreaks were reported in high risk settings like long-term care facilities, personal care homes and group homes, the majority due to influenza A.