Respiratory illnesses are rising in B.C., with flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases climbing, especially among children, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s latest update.

The data, which covers the week of Dec. 22 to 28, 2024, shows Influenza A remains the most common strain this flu season with 11.7 per cent of recent tests coming back positive — an uptick of 2.5 per cent compared to last week.

RSV cases, which usually cause a minor cold but can cause severe illness in vulnerable groups, have reached 12.3 percent driven primarily by pediatric patients, compared to 0.3 per cent the week before.

Older adults and newborns are among those most at risk from RSV, a leading cause of seasonal hospitalizations each winter for children in Canada.

The rise in flu and RSV cases is being felt in hospital emergency departments, particularly in pediatric care.

BCCDC’s data shows respiratory-related visits accounted for over 37 per cent of all pediatric emergency department cases during the reporting period — a more than five per cent increase from the week before. Adult respiratory-related visits also climbed, though at a slower pace.

COVID-19 activity is also rising, according to the BCCDC, with the percentage of cases testing positive increasing to five percent for the week of Dec. 22 to 28, up from 0.3 per cent the week before. The BCCDC says about 128 people were in hospital with the disease by Dec. 28, up from 84 for the week of Dec. 12.

With respiratory viruses circulating at high levels, health officials stress the importance, particularly for vulnerable groups, of taking precautions.

The province reports that as of Jan. 5, more than 1.3 million flu vaccines had been administered this respiratory illness season.

Flu seasons typically last until the end of March.