The Government of Saskatchewan has released their latest Flu Report for the week ending January 11th.

Over the course of the last week, hospitals across Saskatchewan saw 174 lab-confirmed cases. This total was made up of 140 cases of Type A Influenza, and 34 cases of Type B. This was a drastic decrease from the previous week’s 257 Type-A cases, and 82 Type-B cases.

This week also saw only 2 cases of outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

Since September of 2019, this last week gives us 1,050 lab cases, 30 long-term care cases, as well as 16 ICU admissions and 5 deaths.

There are many studies that show that the flu is more infectious in colder weather. This may be why January saw such a high spike in flu cases, as a period of extreme cold recently passed through Saskatchewan.

There are many simple ways to avoid the flu.

-- Stay at least 3 feet away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing

-- Keep your hands away from your nose and face.

-- Clean communal surfaces, like bathrooms and kitchens, at least once per day.

-- Wear surgical gloves when caring for someone who’s sick