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The number of flu fatalities in Alberta has jumped by 12, to 31 in less than a month, accelerating the death rate in what’s being called an unusually challenging influenza season across Canada.

This year’s fatality number is almost double the 17 flu deaths recorded in the province last year at this time, while the number of hospitalizations has also nearly doubled, from 867 to 1,570, in just the past three weeks.

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Making the season more trying for both victims and health professionals alike is the double jeopardy nature of this year’s flu, said Dr. Judy MacDonald, AHS medical officer of health for the Calgary zone.

“What’s unusual is we’re getting an A strain co-circulating with a B strain that usually shows up later . . . they’re wreaking havoc right at the same time,” she said.

“That A strain, or H3N2, tends to be a more severe influenza and more of a concern for the elderly.”

Recent extremely cold weather in much of Alberta is also worsening flu numbers by allowing the virus to flourish and by keeping people in increasingly close quarters, said MacDonald.