The plateau long awaited by public health may have been reached as the number of cases of influenza in Quebec has started to decline.
According to data from the Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ) released Monday, the rate of positive screening tests decreased slightly last week to reach 25.2 per cent, down from 27 per cent.
The number of cases last week was 3,175, down from 3,332 the week ending Dec. 3. The vast majority of those cases were influenza A, though influenza B appears to be gaining ground.
Quebec’s Health Ministry said it wanted to remain prudent and wait until seeing a tendency over several weeks before confirming that the peak has been reached.
Public health director Dr. Luc Boileau predicted a difficult December with infectious respiratory diseases during his last public appearance Dec. 5. But he noted the decrease in flu cases observed in the United States and Ontario after reaching their peaks was faster than in the past.
Latest data on vaccination show that 18.98 per cent of the Quebec population has got a free flu vaccine dose. Among the higher-risk categories, it’s much higher — 59 per cent of those 75 and older, and 39 per cent of those ages 60-74.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Canadian Medical Association. La Presse Canadienne is solely responsible for editorial choices.
