EDMONTON Immunization clinics reopened across Alberta Friday morning to deal with a surge of flu cases.In Edmonton, the Bonnie Doon Health Centre and Northgate Health Centre were open to the public.

We have entered a very critical period in Alberta, Health Minister Fred Horne said. Over the last couple of weeks weve seen a very large escalation in the number of flu cases in the province.

Horne says the increase is very concerning.

I am concerned from a number of standpoints. First and foremost, we are beginning to see increasing strain on the health care system that has the potential to escalate.

READ MORE: Health officials issue warning about severity of flu outbreak

As of Thursday, Alberta Health Services (AHS) said there have been five reported deaths in Alberta as a result of influenza and 965 lab-confirmed cases of the flu province-wide, 920 of which were the H1N1 form of the virus.

We also know that today there are over 270 people in this province whove been hospitalized for influenza, many of them with the H1N1 strain, which is the dominant strain this year, Horne added.

The H1N1 strain is attacking primarily adults in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

READ MORE:Edmonton mans wife in intensive care battling H1N1

And the worst is yet to come, according to Horne, who added influenza is expected to peak in mid-February.

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Health Minister calls on health care workers to get immunized as flu spreads