RSV hospitalizations rise in Saskatchewan as flu declines and Covid-19 stabilizes

By Ian MacKay

People sick with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are taking up more hospital beds in Saskatchewan while the incidence of the flu and Covid-19 has fallen.

“Over the past four weeks, influenza activity has declined, Covid-19 activity has remained stable and RSV activity has increased in Saskatchewan,” said the provincial Health Department’s Feb. 13 report.

Thirty-three residents with the flu were admitted to hospitals during Feb. 1-7, the most recent week covered in the report, compared to 18 with Covid-19 and six with the flu.

A total of 38 with RSV went to hospital the week before that, along with 17 with covid and seven with the flu.

One person died of covid during Feb. 1-7. The flu didn’t take anyone during either week.

The 86 people considered sick with covid between Feb. 1 and 7 included 47 between 20 and 64 years old, 19 who were at least 65 and 10 each under five and from five to 19, a chart showed.

Three toddlers had the flu that week but 62 had RSV. Another 37 aged 20 to 64 had RSV, as did 21 who were at least 65.

The 43 with the flu included 20 from 20 to 64, 11 from five to 19 and nine at least 65.

Health staff found the coronavirus that causes covid in 88 people during Feb 1-7 after 83 tested positive for it during Jan. 25-31.

The number of people who tested positive for the flu slid to 58 during Feb. 1-7 from 76 the week before. A total of 150 people tested positive for RSV during the latest week, up from 123 the week earlier.

Only two people in the department’s west-central zone tested positive for a virus during Feb. 1-7 - one with the flu and one with RSV.