Flu Hospitalizations Nearly Double, H3N2 Most Dominant Strain: Public Health Agency of Canada

Influenza activity is high and increasing in all regions across Canada, according to the Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report lasted updated on Dec. 19, 2025, produced by the FluWatch+ surveillance program. PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock

Weekly flu hospitalizations nearly doubled in Canada compared to the number reported the previous week, with the influenza A (H3N2) strain being the most commonly detected among the rising number of infections, the latest Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) data indicates.

The number of new influenza cases detected in Canada in the week ending Dec. 13 rose by approximately 64 percent compared to the week ending Dec. 6, increasing from 7,120 new cases to 11,646 new cases, says the most recent Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report, last updated on Dec. 19.