Influenza deaths have soared to new heights in Alberta this year, according to nearly two decades worth of data, prompting concern from health experts.

According to Alberta’s respiratory virus dashboard, 250 people have died so far this flu season. 

While the province cautions there have been changes to how flu deaths are tracked, this represents the highest number reported since at least 2009, when Alberta launched its universal seasonal flu vaccine program and data became publicly available.

“This is quite concerning,” said Craig Jenne, deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the University of Calgary.

“This has been four consecutive years of setting new records and really no indication at this point that this trend is going to turn around.”

Death rates, based on population, are also higher than previously recorded.

“This is representing a significant strain on the health-care system here in Alberta, a significant strain on families and, tragically, the loss of Albertans.”

In a statement, the province said it is difficult to gauge if the flu death toll is the “highest ever,” because prior to the 2021-22 season flu deaths outside of hospital were not routinely counted. The 2022-23 season was the first year community deaths were fully counted.

Data shared by the province in April 2025 showed, at the time, community deaths accounted for 16 of the total deaths that season and fewer than ten during each of the previous years.

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“This has been a really, really difficult flu year through the lense of the hospital, ” said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease physician at the University of Alberta Hospital, who saw many severely ill patients end up on life-support.

“It would be wrong to normalize that there’s always an influenza surge and always difficulty because it has been getting worse. The potential for it to be just absolutely catastrophic for the provision of care for absolutely everything else remains very high,” said Saxinger.

Alberta’s respiratory virus dashboard shows 12 of the Albertans who died due to flu this season were between the ages of 20 and 49 (including three people in their twenties and three in their thirties). The rest were among people aged 50 and older.

No deaths among children have been reported so far this season.

There have been 3,725 hospitalizations and 275 ICU admissions due to influenza.

CBC News requested an interview with Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Vivien Suttorp, but was told she was not available.

“Like many jurisdictions across Canada and around the world, Alberta experienced an early and exceptionally large wave of flu cases,” Tom McMillan, director of communications for Alberta Primary and Preventative Health Services, said in an email.

“In Alberta, the wave peaked in late December and had dropped by about 90 [per cent] by mid-January.”

Alberta’s flu season has been driven primarily by the spread of H3N2, a subtype of Influenza A. 

Influenza B has emerged later in the season and is now the predominant strain.

“Influenza is still circulating, so we encourage all Albertans to keep taking simple precautions to protect themselves and those around them,” said McMillan.

“The influenza vaccine remains available free of charge and continues to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of severe illness.”

‘Perfect storm’

A complex mix of factors is contributing to Alberta’s deadly flu season, according to experts.

“I think it is a perfect storm situation,” said Saxinger.

The flu peak was longer than usual and changes to flu patterns since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely playing a role, she said.

“Community-wide immunity to all of the strains is relatively reduced. And so we have been seeing overall more severe epidemics since flu came back on the scene,” she said.

Low immunization rates and a vaccine mismatch — which may have contributed to hesitancy — are also factors, according to Saxinger.

“In a mismatch year, people may still get the flu but people who are vaccinated are less likely to have to go to the hospital or have to be in the ICU or worse,” said Jenne.

Low vaccination rate

Alberta’s respiratory virus dashboard shows 20.1 per cent of Albertans have had a flu shot so far this season.

That’s just under last year’s total and the lowest uptake since 2010-11.

“We know [vaccination] continues to protect lives and it’s a tool that we are simply not using to its maximum potential here in the province,” said Jenne.

Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti is calling on the provincial government to take clear steps to address the situation.

“This isn’t rocket science … Even if you get an imperfect vaccine it still reduces the severity,” said Francescutti, a professor in the school of public health and emergency medicine at the University of Alberta.

“What we need is a province that says, ‘Immunizations are important: they’ve been proven, they’re effective and they’re safe. We really encourage Albertans to do it and we’re going to make it easy for you to get immunized. We’re not going to put barriers in your way. We’re not just going to expect for you to do it.'”

The Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services said a province-wide campaign promoting the free flu shot included ads on radio, TV, print and social media platforms.

“As part of Budget 2026, we are investing $140 million to further strengthen immunization efforts next year by enhancing outreach and access to better protect Albertans during future respiratory virus seasons,” said Maddison McKee, press secretary to the minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services.

Budget documents show that funding is allocated for routine childhood vaccines and seasonal respiratory virus vaccines.

McKee pointed to data showing Alberta has administered slightly more doses of the flu vaccine than it had at this stage last year.

“This is encouraging, particularly given widely reported concerns that this year’s vaccine was a poor match to the dominant circulating strain. The data does not support any suggestion that this year’s rollout was compromised,” she said.

McKee said vaccination rates have declined since the pandemic in Alberta and elsewhere, adding uptake has historically been well below ideal targets.

Provincial data shows flu vaccination rates peaked at 37 per cent during the pandemic.

“This context does not minimize the importance of vaccination, but demonstrates that uptake has not approached ideal levels over the past two decades,” said McKee.

For his part, Jenne said the province needs to start planning for the next flu season now.

“We do have six or seven months now to really have a hard look at what we can do better, how can we do it better and ensure that those changes are made for next flu season” he said.

“Otherwise we can likely expect a continuation of these record high deaths in the province.”