Alberta's health system is breathing a cautious sigh of relief as the province's most severe influenza surge in over fifteen years shows signs of having reached its peak. However, emergency departments continue to grapple with significant overcrowding, a situation that prompted calls for a provincial public health emergency.
Virus Activity Shifts as Peak Passes
In an update delivered on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Alberta's newly appointed Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vivien Suttorp, stated that the "exceptionally large wave" of influenza A appears to have crested. "Over the course of December, Influenza A activity rose steeply and placed significant pressure on emergency departments, congregate care sites and care providers across the province," Suttorp explained in Calgary.
She noted that key indicators are now improving. "We are now seeing test positivity rates decline, case counts are beginning to fall, and the number of Albertans admitted to hospital with influenza A is starting to drop."
Despite this positive trend, health officials are monitoring a new development. Circulation of influenza B is beginning to increase, a typical pattern for this later stage of the respiratory virus season. "While these waves tend to be smaller and associated with milder outcomes in immunized Albertans, they can still cause significant illness, especially in those who are not protected," Suttorp cautioned.
Severe Strain on Hospital System
The announcement follows urgent appeals from the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) for the province to declare a public health state of emergency due to critical hospital overcrowding. The sheer volume of flu cases has exposed systemic pressures.
"This is one of the worst flu seasons since at least 2010, which is the last data that the government has available," said Dr. Tim Talbot, an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta's School of Public Health and a former Chief Medical Officer of Health. He highlighted a foundational issue: Alberta has fewer emergency beds per capita than the Canadian average and several other nations.
"What that has meant is that you have this surge of hospitalizations due to a very bad influenza year, and a system that operates close to 100 per cent capacity at the best of times," Talbot stated. "That resulted in enormous stress on the emerge departments."
By the Numbers: A Severe Season
The provincial data underscores the severity of this year's respiratory virus season:
- Influenza: As of January 3, Alberta reported 1,988 current active cases, with 51 patients in intensive care. The season's total has reached 13,150 cases and 133 deaths.
- COVID-19: The province has recorded 4,003 cases and 84 deaths this season, with activity remaining consistently low.
- RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus): Cases stand at 1,203, including four fatalities. RSV activity may continue to rise into late January.
Dr. Suttorp reiterated standard public health advice for limiting the spread of all respiratory viruses: staying home when sick, frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces.
While the peak of the punishing influenza A wave may be in the rearview mirror, the combined impact of ongoing flu B cases, RSV, and a hospital system operating at its limits means the crisis in Alberta's healthcare facilities is far from over.
