Officials say figures indicate fewer Ontarians are getting their flu shot this year. (Canadian Press)

The holiday season brought not only joy and good will to Ontario, but the flu as well, according to public health officials.

Ontario has reported 1,075 positive tests for the seasonal flu so far, compared with fewer than 400 at this point during a normal flu season.

By comparison, Ontario had reported 7,651 positive tests at this point last year, but that was during the H1N1 pandemic.

"It looks like we're getting into it now with the number of [positive] tests going up by 30 to 40 per cent in a matter of a week or two," said Dr. David Williams, Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health.

"It is up at this time of year, but it is not up for when you have peak flu season, so it looks like a big increase because our activity up till now has been relatively low."

Even so, the flu hit earlier this year, especially in the Toronto area, with numbers not usually seen until later in the winter.

"It hit during the Christmas period and it's happening in different parts of Ontario. Mostly, it seems to be around the GTA but is spreading," said Williams.

"We usually get it more into late January or February, but four or five years ago it was in December as well, and flu does that, it moves around."

Firm figures aren't in yet, but it appears only 24 per cent of people have received a flu shot, compared with 35 per cent in normal years and 45 per cent during last year's pandemic.

People may be "pandemic-ed out a bit," said Williams, but a lot of people say they just don't have time in their busy lives to get a flu shot.

This year, the province purchased four million doses of the vaccine, which is effective against H3N2 influenza A and B, and public health agencies want people to get a shot before the flu hits their home.

"It's not the same strain as the H1N1, so just because you got the pandemic vaccine last year doesn't mean you're protected against H3N2 at all," warned Williams.

People who thought they had the flu last fall likely were likely suffering from other viruses and should not think they've already had this year's version of the flu, he said.

"So don't confuse your 48- to 72-hour upper respiratory tract viral infection with influenza," said Williams.

"People say 'I thought I had it until I got the real thing, and when I got an influenza B, I felt for a while like I was going to die and when I got the (influenza) A, I wished I could have,' but they're quite sick for five to seven days."

The flu doesn't just make people feel unwell, said Williams.

"[They get a] high fever and some are actually a bit confused, and then the [influenza] A, especially, can take them up to two to three weeks until they're feeling quite well."

The flu is particularly hard on the very young and the very old as well as pregnant women.

"For the elderly it can be life and death," said Williams.

"Getting influenza and being bedridden for two to three weeks also predisposes you to a lot of other things, including falls and fractures because you lose a lot of muscle mass."