Alberta has recorded its first influenza death of the season, and health experts are warning the province could face a rough few months ahead. A person in their 60s from central Alberta died from the flu, with more than 100 people hospitalized so far this season and eight in intensive care.

The dominant strain this year is H3N2, which caused serious illness in Australia and the United Kingdom and often predicts what's coming to North America. Dr. Craig Jenne, an infectious disease expert at the University of Calgary, told CityNews that declining vaccination rates combined with a vaccine that doesn't perfectly match the mutated strain could create a "perfect storm" for hospitals. Health experts say the vaccine still protects against multiple strains and reduces severe illness, but only about 10 per cent of Albertans have gotten their flu shot so far.

Former chief medical officer Dr. James Talbot told CTV News that Alberta hospitals already run at full capacity, meaning it won't take many respiratory cases to overwhelm the system. Some Calgarians have struggled to access flu shots, with one mother saying she had to book appointments at three different locations just to vaccinate her four children.