Acronym RequiredDec 24, 2022
Diego Bassani 

"Officials said an initial surge was from influenza but the number of kids sick with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is unusually high and still increasing."

Unusually high?

The data and I beg to differ.

It took me 5 minutes of fact checking using published data the work the journalist should have done.

source: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/surveillance/respiratory-virus-detections-canada/2021-2022.html

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/mandatory-ot-staff-vacation-cancellations-possible-as-stollery-sees-rush-of-sick-kids-1.6202645

Respiratory Virus Detections/Isolations in Canada 2021 – 2022 - Canada.ca

Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System data from Canadian laboratories on the number of tests, and positive tests, for influenza and other respiratory viruses.

Dec 20, 2022 at 9:37pmWeb
Show threadDiego Bassani Dec 20, 2022
Values in table format.
Show threadDiego Bassani Dec 20, 2022

It is absurd that media just parrots what they hear without checking the numbers. The reports for the last 10 seasons, by week and province, and for some provinces by hospital, are all publicly available in the link below. Do your job. Not even asking you to think.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/surveillance/respiratory-virus-detections-canada.html

Respiratory Virus Detections in Canada - Canada.ca

Weekly reports presenting tables and graphs illustrating numbers of tests performed and numbers positive for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza, and adenovirus reported, by selected laboratories, to the Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System

Show threadChoong NgDec 20, 2022
@dgbassani The data shows that overall detected cases are about the same as last year, is your read that AHS is correct that there are more RSV patients but wrong that the reason is more RSV going around?
Show threadDiego Bassani Dec 20, 2022
So if the numbers are high (total kids sick in hospital) - there may be something else going on - and it is not unseasonably high RSV. It may be more severe RSV.
Show threadneutron_chickDec 20, 2022
@dgbassani Or same RSV but weaker immune systems, which could be due to covid?
Show threadLeigh Holmes FosterDec 20, 2022

@dgbassani Although this is only comparing the last two years, which both seem to be pretty substantial outliers compared to anything pre-pandemic.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/surveillance/respiratory-virus-detections-canada/2022-2023/week-49-ending-december-10-2022.html#a3

Respiratory Virus Report, Week 49 - ending December 10, 2022 - Canada.ca

Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System data from Canadian laboratories on the number of tests, and positive tests, for influenza and other respiratory viruses.