Flu season still here, Calgary mother warns after son with cancer contracts influenza B

A Calgary mother says her four-year-old son with leukemia recently tested positive for influenza B during a late-season rise in Alberta; provincial positivity rates have since dipped to just over 10%.

The mother of a young Calgary cancer patient is reminding the public that flu season has not ended after her four-year-old son, Arthur, tested positive for influenza B. Arthur was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago and is still receiving treatment that suppresses his immune system. The family received flu vaccines in the fall, but his chemotherapy likely reduced his immune response. Alberta saw a resurgence of influenza through February and March driven by influenza B, and recent provincial data show positivity rates have dipped slightly to just over 10 percent. Key points: - Arthur, age four, is undergoing leukemia treatment and tested positive for influenza B; his mother reported he visited the emergency department twice and developed a suspected secondary infection. - The family was vaccinated in the fall, and clinicians noted that people on immune‑suppressing treatments may not mount a strong vaccine response. - Provincial surveillance described a late‑season increase in influenza B cases followed by a slight decline; current positivity in Alberta is reported at just over 10 percent. - Pediatric and public health experts highlighted that immunosuppressed people, young children and older adults are at higher risk, and they reported recommending vaccination for high‑risk groups and their close contacts. Summary: The situation underscores continuing concern for people with suppressed immunity and ongoing pressure on health services during a late‑season influenza B upswing. Undetermined at this time.