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Now that we’re well into fall more people, especially younger ones, are showing up with seasonal illnesses ranging from colds and flu to COVID-19.

“While SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to spread, its rate of increase is not as quick as other respiratory viruses,” the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says on a new portal that tracks respiratory diseases in the province.

“The data suggest that most of the observed relative increase is related to viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections.”

While many of those illness are due to cold viruses, people are encouraged to get their annual flu shots by the end of November as influenza season has started.

Since most British Columbians have had COVID vaccines, many will be automatically notified by email or text when they’re eligible to book their next booster shot, which can be taken at the same time as the flu vaccine. Or, if they’re not registered, they can go to Get Vaccinated B.C., here. The vaccines are free for anyone over the age of six months.

So far, it’s people under 19 years of age who are being hit the hardest.

“One key indicator is the number of people visiting a community healthcare practitioner because of symptoms of a new respiratory illness, such as a cough or fever,” centre for disease control says. “This indicator has been increasing, with the biggest increase in visits for acute respiratory infections seen among children and youth.”

The new portal shows the number of visits to health-care practitioners for children up to four years of age is at 15,444 per 100,000 while those ages four to nine are at 13,953.

By contrast, the rate for those over the age of 20 declines from 3,993 per 100,000 for those 20 to 39 years old, to 990 for those over the age of 80.

READ MORE: Young children facing greater risk of catching the flu this season, experts warn

The data also shows the Interior Health region, with a visit rate of 2,157 per 100,000, has one of the lowest rates in the province and close to half the 3,970 per 100,000 in the Fraser Health region.

The new data portal replaces the weekly COVID-19 updates to include influenza and respiratory illness and can be accessed here.

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