Flu season hits Hamilton, 1st official case confirmed

Flu season is officially upon us, as Hamilton's first official case of influenza has been confirmed, the city announced Thursday.

Public health received its first laboratory tested sample confirmation from a young child. In the wake of the news, the city's associate medical officer of health said that the "best defense against the flu is to get immunized."

"All Hamilton residents are encouraged to get immunized," said Dr. Jessica Hopkins. "Immunization is especially important for individuals over fifty, the very young and those with chronic conditions that could put them at greater risk for complications."

The number of Canadians who died from the flu virus last winter spiked to 547 — that's 200 more deaths than the previous flu season.

Health officials say last season's influenza vaccine didn't protect against the strain of the virus that infected many Canadians over the winter months.

In January, a study based on data from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec found the vaccine offered most people virtually no protection against H3N2 — the strain that caused the lion's share of illness this past winter.

The flu attacks the respiratory tract, and makes people miserable for a week or two. Symptoms tend to begin between one to three days after the virus enters the body.

Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, sore through, congestion, muscle weakness and a cough.

Most people recover from the flu without medical treatment, but it can be serious for very young people, the elderly, and those with other preexisting serious medical conditions.