The Sask. NDP are calling for the province to step up its fall vaccination campaign. (file photo/Canadian Press)

By Susan McNeil

Flu outbreaks

Young and old, flu takes over north central Saskatchewan

Dec 29, 2025 | 11:20 AM

Almost one-half of the current cases of Influenza A in Saskatchewan are in young people under the age of 19 while at the same time, multiple long term care homes are seeing outbreaks of the same virus.

The NDP is calling for an emergency public campaign to boost uptake of flu shots, saying Saskatchewan hospitals are overrun.

“Healthcare in Saskatchewan has never been in this bad of shape — one thing we can do right here and right now is take steps to bolster prevention so we can take pressure off hospitals and health clinics,” said Meara Conway, Saskatchewan NDP Health Shadow Minister.

“I am urgently calling on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party to launch a more active public awareness campaign on the benefits of the flu shot right away. Our vaccination numbers are brutal right now — this is the provincial government’s job and they should be doing it, regardless of the holiday season.”

Test positivity is at about 40 per cent for Influenza A, with this year’s main strain particularly brutal. At the same time, vaccination rates are about 20 per cent.

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The most recent surveillance reports from the SHA show that Influenza A increased 13.5 per cent in the first half of December. Of the confirmed influenza cases, 48 per cent were between zero and 19 years old.

Before Christmas, several Junior A hockey games in the SJHL and community events were cancelled because people were too sick.

School absenteeism increased to 17.8 per cent for the week ending December 13 compared to 15 per cent the week before and 12 per cent the week before that.

There were 127 people in the hospital with the flu and 13 people in ICU as of Dec. 13.

From the SHAs respiratory surveillance report. (screenshot)

The NDP said that Saskatchewan is the only province with the flu categorized as having widespread activity and pointed out three children in Ontario died recently of the flu.

“This can be a matter of life and death — influenza is no joke,” Conway said. “I get that it’s the holidays, but all is not calm, all is not bright — so the government needs to stop being silent.”

I am also continuing to call for an emergency plan to ease the chaos in our hospitals.”

Before Christmas, the NDP released numbers on emergency wait times in Saskatchewan hospitals and showed wait times up to 41 hours in Prince Albert. The province said the numbers were being misconstrued.

While a significant number of children are suffering from the flu at the moments seniors are not exempt and multiple long term care homes are seeing outbreaks.

In Prince Albert, the Paradise Path, Lakeland Trail Golden hill locations of the Herb Bassett Home all have outbreaks of Influenza A.

Mont St. Joseph – Unit 1 has a respiratory outbreak but its source is unknown.

Red Deer Nursing Home in Porcupine Plain, Chateau Providence in St. Brieux, Evergreen Health Centre in Leoville and River Heights Lodge in North Battleford have flu outbreaks.

The Arborfield Special Care home has a COVID-19 outbreak and the Birch View Home in Birch Hills has an unknown respiratory illness outbreak.

St. Mary’s Home in Humboldt has a rhinovirus outbreak.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: @susanmcneil.bsky.social