Flu has been blamed for the deaths of three children in the Ottawa area this month
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Health officials in Ottawa and neighboring regions said Monday that three children aged five to nine have died from complications of influenza this month.
Ottawa Public Health and Eastern Ontario Health Unit did not specify in their joint statement Where and when did the children die?
“There are childhood deaths due to influenza every year in Canada, but it is unusual to have such a high number of deaths in such a short period of time,” Dr. Trevor Arnason, Ottawa’s medical officer of health, told CBC in an interview on Monday.
Both health officials are renewing their call for everyone to get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible.
“We’re still before the holiday season, (before) people go to gatherings and hang out with others, (so now) is the most important time to get vaccinated,” Arnason said.
Flu season has arrived earlier than usual this year, he said.
CHEO, Children’s Hospital of Ottawa, Warns of worrying rise in flu-related travel Last month. Last week, the hospital asked family doctors in the area To step up your efforts to fight the flu,
According to the last official update from Ottawa Public Health, flu levels in the capital were “very high” and rising.
National flu statistics require some context as different jurisdictions report data differently.
By December 6, fewer than five children had died from flu in 15 children’s hospitals in eight out of 10 provinces, including Ontario.
Arnason said children are not at greatest risk of flu-related complications, noting that 90 percent of influenza-related deaths occur in adults over the age of 65.
