Respiratory virus trends in Canada: Laboratory data report

Data are from the Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System (RVDSS). RVDSS collects the number of tests and positive detections for 8 respiratory viruses from laboratories across Canada. Data in this report are updated every Thursday. This page was last updated on August 10th, 2023, 10am ET, with data up to and including ... (surveillance week ...).

On this page

• Weekly trends over time
• Geographic trends
• Historical and current weekly activity
• Test and detection tables
• Explore the data

Weekly trends over time

Figure 1: in Canada Atlantic     Newfoundland and Labrador     Prince Edward Island     Nova Scotia     New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Prairies     Manitoba     Saskatchewan     Alberta British Columbia Territories     Yukon     Northwest Territories     Nunavut by surveillance week, season.

Figure 1: Text description

Data guide

• Use the controls to select an area of Canada and a measure of respiratory virus activity to display. Select viruses to compare trends within the area across the current respiratory virus season. Hover over or tap the figure to display weekly values and dates.

Data notes

• Respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 are only shown at the regional and national levels. Note that some regions do not test for/report on all RVDSS viruses.
• Weekly percent positivity estimates are suppressed (not shown) for the Northwest Territories when the number of weekly COVID-19 tests reported is under 45. For small counts such as this, it is difficult to provide an accurate weekly percent positivity estimate.

Geographic trends

Figure 2: {Select a virus:} for {Select a virus:} by province, territory, or region for the week ending ...

Figure 2: Text description

Data guide

• Use the controls to select a virus and a measure of respiratory virus activity. The map displays selected data for the most recent surveillance week, presenting a geographic comparison of the current situation. Hover over or tap areas to display trends over time.

Data notes

• Different provinces and territories may use different testing practices which can affect indicators such as percentage of tests positive. Interpret with caution.
• Respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 are shown at the regional and national levels. Note that some regions do not test for/report on all RVDSS viruses.
• Weekly percent positivity estimates are suppressed (not shown) for the Northwest Territories when the number of weekly COVID-19 tests reported is under 45. For small counts such as this, it is difficult to provide an accurate weekly percent positivity estimate.

Historical and current weekly activity

Figure 3: Percentage of tests positive in Canada by surveillance week, comparison of recent respiratory virus seasons.

Figure 3: Text description

Data guide

• These figures compare the national weekly percentage of tests positive across recent respiratory virus seasons. Use the controls to select viruses and seasons for comparison. Use the scale buttons to select if all figures are to have the same scale (fixed) or that each figure’s scale is adjusted to fit its data (dynamic).
• Hover over or tap a figure to display weekly values and dates. Note that dates are only presented for the current season. Data are aligned across seasons by surveillance week; these weeks do not include the exact same days of the year across seasons, but do not differ by more than 7 days. For additional information, please see technical notes.

Data notes

• Testing practices are prone to change over time, which can affect indicators such as percentage of tests positive. Direct comparisons across seasons should be made with caution.
• RVDSS integrated SARS-CoV-2 surveillance at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season. No prior data are available for comparison.

Test and detection tables

Table 1: Respiratory virus tests and positive detections for the by for

Data guide

• Use the controls to view lab test and detection data in greater detail for selected respiratory viruses. Data can be viewed by reporting laboratory, the level at which data are reported to RVDSS, or can be aggregated and viewed by province and territory or region. Select a surveillance week and choose to view data for the selected surveillance week or to view the season totals up to that week.
• Adjust the table by selecting viruses and by using the filter to select specific reporting laboratories to view.

Data notes

• Data represent surveillance data available at the time of analysis. Delays in the availability and reporting of data may cause data to change retrospectively.
• "N/A" is used to identify data that is not available. Data may be unavailable if it was not reported for the current surveillance week. Alternatively data may be unavailable if a reporting laboratory does not collect/report data for specific viruses.
• Some public health laboratories in Canada perform subtyping on influenza specimens from other laboratories. When identified, these subtype detections are not included in total influenza A detection counts; in these instances, total influenza A detection counts may not equal the sum of influenza A subtype detections. Total influenza A and B positive counts are used to calculate percentage of tests positive.
• Results from British Columbia comprise of specimens from the following sites: Children's and Women's Hospital Laboratory, Fraser Health Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Island Health, Providence Health Care, Vancouver Coastal Health sites, Victoria General Hospital, BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, Interior Health Authority sites, and Northern Health Authority sites.
• Abbreviations:
  • A(H1)pdm09: Influenza A(H1)pdm09
  • A(H3): Influenza A(H3N2)
  • A(UnS): Influenza A(Unsubtyped)
  • EORLA: Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association
  • N/A: Not available
  • PHOL: Public Health Ontario Laboratory
  • UHN: University Health Network

Explore the data

Figure 4: , stratified by , scale

Figure 4: Text description

Data guide

• Use the controls to explore data from the current season. Explore measures of respiratory virus activity with flexibility to compare measures by virus or by region.
• Select the regions and viruses to be displayed. Use the controls to display figures separated by region or separate by virus.
• Select the measure of respiratory virus activity to be displayed and select whether all figures are to have the same scale (fixed) or if each figure’s scale is to be adjusted to fit its data (dynamic).

Data notes

• Different provinces and territories may use different testing practices which can affect indicators such as percentage of tests positive. Interpret with caution.