COVID-19 decreasing and Influenza increasing according to report

Graphic courtesy HFCM Communicatie, via Wikimedia This is a representation of what the Covid-19 virus would look like under a powerful microscope.

According to the province’s respiratory illness surveillance report  COVID-19 test positivity continues to decline. Influenza test positivity has increased, hospitalizations and ICU admissions for influenza also continue to increase. 

The reporting period was from Jan. 12 to 25. 

The number of COVID-19 positive tests and test positivity rates decreased during this reporting period, from 109 tests (5.8 per cent) in the week ending January 11, to 69 tests (3.1 per cent) in the week ending January 25. Most COVID-19 cases(45.2 per cent ) were among individuals between 20 and 64 years. 

In 2023 the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) took over wastewater data from the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina. 

Most areas with sampling programs reported low to medium levels of COVID-19 activity in wastewater, with one area reporting a medium-high level. 

Test positivity for COVID-19 in the North Central region was 9.2 per cent. For influenza, test positivity was  4.7 per cent. 

These are only lab-confirmed cases and not rapid antigen test-confirmed cases. 

In the last two weeks, one  COVID-19 associated-deaths was reported . It is not known how many deaths occurred in North Central over this period. 

The report shows there are currently 13 hospital admissions and three ICU admissions. 

Influenza and RSV hospital admissions increased from 32 to 44 and from 97 to 126 respectively, during this reporting period as compared to the previous two weeks, while COVID-19 hospitalizations remained stable. 

There were six COVID-19 outbreaks were reported in a high-risk setting in the past two weeks. 

Influenza activity continues to increase, current test positivity is 12.8 per cent. Since Aug. 25, 2024, 951 influenza positive tests were reported, 880 (92.5 per cent ) were influenza type A and 71 (7.5 per cent) were type B. Of the 278 influenza A viruses subtyped, 172 (61.9 per cent) were H1 and 106 (38.1 per cent) were H3.   

As of Oct. 13, 2022 the Ministry of Health launched the community respiratory illness surveillance program (CRISP) report to integrate COVID-19 surveillance and reporting with provincial respiratory illness and surveillance reporting, including influenza. 

The report standardizes the epidemiological information required for respiratory illness surveillance and risk management and will be issued bi-weekly during respiratory illness season. 

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