Toronto's top doc shares holiday advice amid a 'steep rise' in influenza activity
As flu cases continue to climb in Toronto and are expected to peak over the holidays, the city's top public health official reminded residents to take protective measures when they gather in the coming days, including wearing a mask and getting vaccinated.
Speaking at a vaccination clinic at Cloverdale Mall, Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city's medical officer of health, said Toronto continues to see a "steep rise" of influenza activity.
"We're seeing this activity at increased levels compared to what we would normally expect at this time of year. Further, we're seeing influenza activity affects all age groups, and we project that it will peak over the holiday period," De Villa said.
"This puts extraordinary pressure on an already stretched health care system."
There have been 2,369 influenza cases in the city since Sept. 4. For the week of Nov. 20 to Nov. 26 alone, Toronto reported 637 cases – a significant surge from the five-year, pre-COVID average of 15 flu cases.
De Villa said there are already tools available for residents so that they could celebrate the holidays safely.
"So whether you're gathering with family, or having dinner with colleagues are entering a large crowd of Merrymakers or holiday goers, remember that the layers of protection help reduce your risk of infection: vaccination, hand washing, wearing a well fitted high-quality mask," she said.
"So as we interact with others in our community over the holiday season, and especially when we're indoors with people who we don't live with -- people outside of our household -- our risk of encountering respiratory viruses increase. So I ask all residents to do their part to contribute to a healthier holiday season."
Last month, Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, stopped short of reinstating a mask mandate and instead 'strongly' recommended mask-wearing in all public indoor settings as cases of respiratory viruses rose.
Meanwhile, de Villa noted that half of the influenza cases this year are among those below 19 years old, which is why she reiterated the importance of getting their flu shots.
De Villa is encouraged that there is a slight increase in people getting their flu shots this year and urged those who have not gotten their vaccine to do so.
"Now is a good time to get it so that you're getting good protection. It takes about 10 to 14 days before you get full protection after you receive a flu vaccine, and anticipating that the peak will come towards the end of this month, now's a good time to get that vaccine," De Villa said.
"This is the best thing I think we can all do, young and old."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.