Respiratory illness has been surging around Winnipeg and Manitoba, with emergency departments getting slammed during cold and flu season, a local epidemiologist says.

Cynthia Carr told Global Winnipeg that less than 25 per cent of Manitobans received flu shots this year — well below the norm — which is likely contributing to the surge. The extreme cold is also playing a role.

“When you put those risk factors together — with low vaccination rates, people getting together, more likely indoors with recirculated air and this very cold weather we’re experiencing, it’s just the perfect storm for people getting sick,” Carr said.

“Influenza is the highest concern right now. COVID is at moderate rates — different rates throughout the city — and certainly there’s concern this time of year about RSV, particularly amongst our little ones, so there are certainly viruses circulating.”

Carr said in addition to the low uptake of the flu shot, only 15 per cent of eligible people have received a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine.

4:31 Push to make flu, COVID shots more accessible in Winnipeg