BC flu cases decline; RSV cases up

The BC Centre For Disease Control says there are signs influenza is on a “steady decline” in the province, although case numbers remain high and positive test rates for respiratory syncytial virus continue to rise.

The CDC says positivity for influenza A, the most common flu strain this season, is down from a high of 27 per cent three weeks ago to 20 per cent last week.

The rate for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, rose to nine per cent last week from six per cent three weeks ago.

The centre says in a weekly update that test positivity rates for both influenza A and RSV remain higher among children than in the overall population.

It says no new influenza-related deaths of children were reported last week, and the number of pediatric deaths in the province this flu season remains at six.

The report says there were 171 new hospital admissions last week for patients with COVID-19, representing a slight decrease, while deaths remain stable with 27 deaths within 30 days of a patient’s first positive COVID-19 test reported.

– Canadian Press