Health IQ: As influenza season winds down, stomach flu cases on the rise

Navigating norovirus season

Influenza season may be winding down, but another virus is still making its rounds in Canada — the nasty stomach bug.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) told Global News on March 28 that preliminary data from 2024 shows at the national level, norovirus cases are being reported at a “higher frequency” compared to the 2019-2023 average.

“We’ve only been through three months of this year, and the rate seems to be comparable to 2023, but higher than the five-year average in the preceding years,” Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer at PHAC, told Global News in an interview.

“Norovirus is quite a common virus. So it’s not surprising that it could spread quite quickly, and it is a bit higher this year compared to preceding years.”

Norovirus is a seasonal, highly-contagious virus that causes diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps. The virus is primarily spread through contaminated food or water, but can be transmitted through close contact with infected people or by touching contaminated surfaces.

Read more about norovirus cases and how to protect yourself.

How Ozempic may shape the food industry

The rise in usage of drugs used for weight loss like Ozempic is reshaping Canadian eating habits and posing challenges for the food industry, according to a recent report.

The report published on March 26 by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab in Halifax estimates that between 900,000 and 1.4 million Canadians use GLP-1 receptor agonists. These are a group of drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy, used to treat Type 2 diabetes and are often used to combat obesity.

It found that Canadians who take the medication, whether it’s for diabetes or weight loss, have a significant reduction in cravings for unhealthy foods and drinks.

The report found that the trend toward healthier eating habits, spurred by weight management drugs, is reshaping consumer behaviour, especially in impulse purchases. And this shift poses challenges for the food industry, which heavily relies on impulse purchases.

“The use of GLP-1 drugs is impacting the food industry already…. The craving is just not there,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab. “Many people have reported having made different food choices, they’re behaving differently, both at the grocery store and at the restaurant. If they do go to the restaurant, they’re eating less, fewer sweets, less chocolate and they’re drinking less alcohol.”

The report found that 45.5 per cent of people on GLP-1 drugs reported eating less, with 21 per cent reducing their restaurant visits and 16 per cent purchasing fewer groceries. The categories most affected by decreased consumption include sweet bakery goods, snacks and packaged cookies.

Read more about the report and what the food industry says about drugs like Ozempic.

— THE TOPIC —

All health-care deals inked

— WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING —

All 13 provinces and territories have officially signed onto Ottawa’s new health-care deal, following Health Minister Mark Holland’s announcement of a $3.7-billion pact with Quebec last week.

Quebec, previously holding out due to concerns about the sovereignty of its health data and accusing Ottawa of jurisdictional overreach, was the final province to sign the deal on March 27. It includes 2.5 billion over three years for health-care improvements, as well as $1.2 billion over five years to improve access to home care or a safe long-term care facility for aging Quebecers.

The health deal was initially announced in February 2023, with the federal government offering provinces and territories a health funding package worth $196.1 billion over 10 years, including $46.2 billion in new funding.

The offer came as premiers and health workers raised the alarm about the ailing state of Canada’s health-care systems.

In exchange for the funds, Ottawa requires provinces to report on how the money will be spent and measure whether those funds are improving health outcomes for Canadians.

“These agreements are going to make a huge difference in making sure that people can get the help and the care that they need,” Holland told Global News in an interview. “It’s been a lot of work, but I think it’s demonstrative of what we can accomplish when we work with the spirit of cooperation and work together.”

He acknowledged the initial reluctance issues, citing a “natural tension” between provinces, territories, and the federal government. However, he expressed pride in the jurisdictions’ ability to set aside varying political perspectives and collaborate to “make things better for the people they serve.”

Now that Ottawa has signed deals with each province and territory, Holland said he will meet with fellow health ministers in the coming weeks to discuss the next steps.