The flu reached a plateau in Quebec

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QMI agency

Tuesday, 30 January 2018 14:30

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Tuesday, 30 January 2018 14:30

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The number of influenza cases recorded weekly in Quebec has probably reached a plateau, indicated by the health authorities, who expect a stabilisation of the epidemic of influenza.

“It is probably in the end of the hardest phase of the influenza outbreak in Quebec this year, and gradually, we should see a decrease in the number of cases in the coming weeks,” said Dr. Karl Weiss, a microbiologist and infectious disease specialist, in an interview with TVA News.

The effectiveness rate of the vaccine used this year to prevent the epidemic will be revealed at the end of the week. In Australia, it had demonstrated an efficiency of 10 % against the strain of influenza A H3N2, but it could have an efficiency rate of 40% against the strain of influenza B, said Dr. Karl Weiss.

“We currently have in Quebec, the two strains that are circulating, so there’s A and B. One has a better protection against the B, but weak against the Has,” said the microbiologist.

According to him, due to the small vaccine protection observed in the recent years, a new generation of more potent vaccines is in the process of seeing the light of day.

“We see that there is a limit to the technology [of the old vaccines]. There was really no other choice than to use other routes,” he explained.

The two groups of the population most affected by the flu this year are the youngest and the oldest.

“These are the two groups most tested. We test people who are in the hospital and will remain there. If you are young and in good health, we will not necessarily test you. Therefore, there is a small bias in the number of people that we are going to test. What we do know, however, is that complications in the elderly are much larger. Young people will often serve as a vector for transmission to others, parents or grandparents”, detailed the expert.