Spread of influenza continues to decline in Quebec

There are more signs of the decline of the seasonal flu epidemic in Quebec. For the second week in a row, the number of influenza cases and the rate of positive influenza tests have declined.

With the holiday season just around the corner, when large families will be crammed into kitchens and living rooms, this is certainly good news for health authorities.

According to data from the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) for the week ending Dec. 17, there were 2,837 new influenza virus infections.

This is a marked decrease from the 3,175 new cases in the previous week and the 3,332 cases in the week ending Dec. 3.

The rate of positive results has dropped from 25.2 per cent to 21.72 per cent. Again, the slowdown is noticeable, especially since the rate was still 27 per cent two weeks ago.

The overwhelming majority of infections are related to influenza A, while there are only 20 cases of influenza B.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 19, 2022. The Canadian Press health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.