Canada Faces Earlier-Than-Usual Flu Season Driven by H1N1 Strain
Canada is experiencing an unusually early flu season, with over 2,100 influenza detections since late August and a positivity rate significantly above historical averages. The H1N1 strain accounts for approximately 98 per cent of cases, prompting provinces to adjust vaccination schedules ahead of Thanksgiving weekend.
Canada is grappling with an earlier-than-usual flu season, recording 2,102 detections of influenza across the country since the end of August. Between Sept. 20 and Sept. 26, 3.7 per cent of influenza tests came back positive, a figure significantly higher than the 0.5 per cent average recorded for that time of year between 2023 and 2025.
Approximately 98 per cent of lab-confirmed influenza cases in Canada since late August have been identified as the H1N1 strain. While experts note that H1N1 is generally milder than the H3N2 strain, it has driven severe outbreaks in specific regions. Alberta currently has more than 400 confirmed flu cases, and one person in the Calgary area, aged between 70 and 79, has died from the flu. In British Columbia, outbreaks in long-term care homes are driving the increase in flu cases, while clinics in Toronto are reporting increased patient volume, particularly among young adults.
By contrast, rates of COVID-19 were 3.8 per cent positive in the last week of September, which is lower than the 10.3 per cent rate observed at the same time in 2025.
In response to the early spread, provinces and territories have adjusted or accelerated their vaccination schedules, though public access varies widely by region. Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are currently offering flu and COVID-19 vaccine appointments for residents over six months old. Yukon residents have also been able to book flu and COVID-19 shot appointments since the end of September.
New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba allow booking for both vaccines, with immunization efforts officially starting on Oct. 13. British Columbia will make flu and COVID-19 shots available starting Oct. 13. In Quebec, appointment bookings open as of Oct. 13, but the vaccination campaign begins Oct. 20, and shots are free only for eligible high-risk residents.
Ontario is currently offering flu and COVID-19 immunizations to high-risk groups, but general public access opens on Oct. 26. Alberta provides free flu shots to everyone, with first appointments starting Oct. 19; however, non-high-risk Albertans must pay for COVID-19 shots.
Health officials advise residents to get vaccinated and to stay home when ill, particularly ahead of the Thanksgiving weekend. Additionally, an mRNA influenza vaccine made by Moderna, which was approved by the FDA in the United States during the summer, is currently under review by Health Canada.