Alberta reports first flu-related death of season as health officials urge vaccination

Alberta has recorded its first influenza-related death of the 2025–26 season, according to new data from the province’s respiratory virus dashboard. Officials say the individual was in their 60s.

The report marks an early fatality in what public health experts warn could be another challenging flu season. Last year, Alberta experienced one of its deadliest flu periods in decades, with 237 deaths recorded during the 2024–25 season.

Provincial data shows a concerning upward trend in both deaths and hospitalizations linked to influenza. There were 171 deaths in 2023–24, 123 in 2022–23, and just 20 in 2021–22. Hospital admissions have also climbed sharply, rising to 3,732 last season from 3,358 the year before.

Health officials continue to encourage Albertans, particularly seniors and those with underlying health conditions, to get vaccinated and take preventive measures as the virus circulates more widely through the winter.