THUNDER BAY -- Flu activity is picking up across the province, but the Thunder Bay District Health Unit says it's difficult to compare this flu season with last year.
Diana Gowanlock, Manager of Infections Disease Programs at the health unit, told tbnewswatch.com that two outbreaks have been declared so far at Thunder Bay nursing homes.
The most recent outbreak of Influenza A, at Roseview Manor on Shuniah Street, was declared over on Wednesday.
Gowanlock noted that neither that outbreak, nor an earlier one at Hogarth Riverview Manor, was a prolonged one.
"The residents weren't hit super-hard with it," she said. "We are hearing reports from across the country that people are being hit a lot harder with flu this year. In our area we haven't really seen that."
Gowanlock said that doesn't mean people should assume the flu won't be bad this season, and health officials continue to advise residents who have not received a flu shot to arrange to get one.
Provincially, she said, there has been an increase in flu activity and in reported outbreaks in institutions such as long-term care homes. Comparing statistics with last year, however, is a challenge.
"We're not really able to give that information because they've actually changed the laboratory testing algorithm, so it's not a comparable number anymore."
Gowanlock added that it's only lab specimens taken from hospitalized patients or residents of institutions that are actually tested for influenza.
"Obviously you're not going to get your general population, which very well could have influenza, so they're basically diagnosed based on symptoms and clinical presentation."
The Ontario health ministry's most recent public report on the prevalence of influenza-like illness shows a "moderate" level of activity in the Thunder Bay District and in several areas of southern Ontario.
At the moderate level, the ministry says organizations may begin to notice increases in employee or student absenteeism rates.
