This is turning into a nasty flu season across the country.

The number of cases of influenza, along with hospitalizations and deaths due to the respiratory illness, continue to escalate in Canada.

Infectious diseases experts say there’s no telling when the flu season will reach its peak.

Figures from the Public Health Agency of Canada’s FluWatch report show there were 1948 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in the final week of December, a jump from 1229 a week earlier.

As of December 31st, almost 900 Canadians had been hospitalized due to influenza and 20 had died.

The predominant influenza strain circulating in Canada this year is A(H3N2), a particularly nasty strain that disproportionately affects older people.

Those aged 65 and older accounted for two-thirds of hospitalizations and 80 per cent of the deaths.