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Flu infections are on the rise in Canada Flu infections are increasing in Canada – an unusual trend for this time of year, when cases typically are in decline. Since the beginning of April, influenza numbers have "sharply increased," the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in its latest FluWatch report, published April 22. After the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the flu was virtually non-existent in Canada due to protective measures put in place to limit the spread of the novel pathogen. There were 69 confirmed cases of influenza detected in the 2020-21 flu season, according to PHAC. Normally, around 52,000 cases are detected each year. So far this reporting season, Canada has logged 1,842 influenza cases as of April 16. On average, the country sees 43,627 cases recorded by this time of year. There are many potential reasons why flu cases are increasing, PHAC said, and one of them may be related to COVID-19. Global News reporter Aaron D’Andrea has the details. 
What do we know about the new subvariants BA.4 and BA.5? The World Health Organization's (WHO) director-general said Wednesday that two Omicron COVID-19 subvariants are behind a recent spike in cases in South Africa. The WHO began tracking BA.4 and BA.5 in mid-April. They are in addition to previously discovered subvariants BA.1 and BA.2, the latter of which is now dominant around the world. South Africa reported 2,650 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the WHO, but more than 6,500 new cases on May 1, with its numbers trending upward. But how concerned should we be? Global News reporter Eric Stober has more on what is known about the subvariants so far. 
Q: With flu cases resurging in Canada, what does it mean come fall when COVID-19 cases are expected to rise again? What precautions should I take to keep my family members safe? “The pandemic has thrown many infectious diseases out of sync and they are presenting outside their natural time periods,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Anna Banerji said. So, the best way to be safe is to “get the flu vaccine if it's still available” and “the COVID vaccine.” Influenza in the northern hemisphere occurs usually during November to March, according to Banerji, and there are many reasons for the resurgence, “including reduced vaccination, and the lack of exposure in the past two years” due to restrictions like mask mandates that not only curbed the spread of COVID-19 but also kept other viruses like influenza in check. To combat this comeback, Banerji suggests adhering to handwashing and strictly following public health measures. | 
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