According to the Health Index website, on Thursday afternoon, employment rates exceeded 110% in the Capital-Nationale region and even shattered 150% in Chaudière-Appalaches. For the whole province, the user rate is around 135%.
The South Shore was not entitled to the same small break as the North Shore during the break. We don’t have much respite in the holidays, it is certain that the traffic we knew before has remained and continues to remain.
says emergency physician Jean-Simon Létourneau, head of the department of emergency medicine at the CISSS de Chaudière-Appalaches
It is still respiratory diseases that are singled out for overload. In recent weeks we have seen a very large number of patients with respiratory infections. We still see a lot of COVID, flu and [virus respiratoire syncytial]so it adds a little to our regular clientele
continues the doctor.
Fortunately, the situation seems to be stabilising. Currently the flu is really in regression, we have come through the period with the maximum intensity. We have many cases left, but it’s declining quite rapidly
points out Gaston De Serres, chief physician of the immunization unit at the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ).
The sound of the bell is similar for the VRS extension which mainly affected younger people, but there is some uncertainty around COVID-19 and a new subvariant, XBB.1.5.
The flu peak has been passed
After two years of confinement, this season’s flu may seem more vigorous than in pre-pandemic years, but that would be just an impression.
The flu that we’ve had this year hasn’t been particularly difficult this year. What has been different is the trend of the epidemic period. We started the flu a few weeks earlier
says Gaston De Serres.
Influenza is a virus that can change a lot from year to year. It usually occurs especially between the month of November and the end of March.
Although the peak has been reached, many people still arrive at the emergency room with the flu. What we see a lot in the hospital are our clients who are a little more real, therefore children, the elderly and people who have illnesses
says Dr. Jean-Simon Létourneau.
He assumes that the various holiday gatherings may have contributed to the transmission of cases as they arise, so he remains cautious in the hope that the situation improves. There has been a slight decrease for the flu in the last week. It’s encouraging, but we can’t wait to see if it continues
hope the doctor.
A new variant on the horizon
While the flu situation is encouraging to say the least, we don’t know what COVID-19 cases have in store for us in the coming weeks. The new XBB.1.5 subvariant that is growing in the US adds to the uncertainty.
In the US we went from 1% of new cases to 40% by the month of December. This is a situation that is likely to repeat itself in Canada as well.
anticipates Gaston De Serres.
According to him, the new sub-variant has two features that favor it. It has the ability to evade immunity generated by vaccines or previous infections. And it has a strong ability to bind to the respiratory cell receptor, which makes it more contagious than other variants.
summarizes the chief of INSPQ.
We are monitoring the situation, but obviously we don’t have much data. At the moment, there is no indication that this new variant causes more serious infections.
reassures emergency doctor Jean-Simon Létourneau.
The subvariant was already somewhat present in Quebec before the holidays. Data from the most recent cases linked to XBB have not yet been published, but should be soon, according to Dr. Gaston De Serres.
With information from Marie-Pier Mercier
