Flu (influenza): FluWatch surveillance

On this page:

• FluWatch report
• Weekly respiratory virus detections report
• Annual FluWatch report
• Current flu activity in Canada
• Become a FluWatcher
• Become a FluWatch sentinel practitioner
• About FluWatch
• Flu surveillance publications

FluWatch report

FluWatch is Canada's national surveillance system that monitors the spread of flu and flu-like illnesses. FluWatch reports with information on flu activity are published on Fridays. They're published weekly during active flu season and monthly during the summer.

Access FluWatch report

Weekly Respiratory Virus Detections report

The Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System monitors laboratory testing for flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory viruses. Laboratories across Canada report the number of tests performed and the number of positive tests each week.

Reports are posted every Thursday and contain data on laboratory testing for flu, COVID-19, RSV and other respiratory viruses in Canada.

Access respiratory virus report

Annual FluWatch report

Summary FluWatch reports with information on flu activity in Canada for the previous year's flu seasons are posted every year.

Access annual FluWatch report

Current flu activity in Canada

Maps of weekly flu activity in Canada by region. The current flu activity map shows flu activity levels reported by each region. The FluWatchers map shows where flu-like-illness is being reported by participants in the FluWatchers program.

View the current flu activity map

View the current FluWatchers map

Become a FluWatcher

FluWatchers are Canadian volunteers who report on symptoms such as cough and fever. This information helps public health officials identify where flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses may be circulating.

The main weekly questionnaire has 2 health-related questions and only takes about 15 seconds to complete. Your answers are anonymous.

Sign up to be a FluWatcher

Become a FluWatch sentinel practitioner

The Sentinel Primary Care Influenza-like-illness Surveillance program is FluWatch's primary source for outpatient flu monitoring data in Canada.

Physicians, nurse practitioners and registered nurses who are involved in primary care are eligible to become FluWatch sentinel practitioners.

Email fluwatch-epigrippe@phac-aspc.gc.ca to sign up.

About FluWatch

Learn more about the FluWatch influenza surveillance program and find resources to help you understand the FluWatch report.

• Overview of influenza monitoring in Canada
• FluWatch weeks calendar
• Links and resources
• Historical weekly FluWatch reports

Flu surveillance publications

The following publications are academic articles for health professionals.

2015

• Leading indicators and the evaluation of the performance of alerts for influenza epidemics (ResearchGate)

2017

• Burden of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and other respiratory viruses and the completeness of respiratory viral identification among respiratory inpatients, Canada, 2003-2014 (ResearchGate)

2021

• Crowdsourced disease surveillance success story: The FluWatchers program
• FluWatchers: Evaluation of a crowdsourced influenza-like illness surveillance application for Canadian influenza seasons 2015–2016 to 2018–2019
• Representativeness of the FluWatchers Participatory Disease Surveillance Program 2015–2016 to 2018–2019: How do participants compare with the Canadian population?
• Impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions on laboratory detections of influenza A and B in Canada