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Rise In Local Flu Cases Strains ER
January 27, 2011
The flu bug is biting, straining area emergency rooms and doctor’s offices with hundreds of patients per day.
Sacred Heart Hospital is seeing a large increase in the number of flu cases and other upper respiratory illnesses treated at its Emergency Department and at the Sacred Heart Urgent Care Center in Pensacola.
The Emergency Department has seen record numbers of patients in the past week – more than 300 people per day. At Sacred Heart Urgent Care, Medical Director Dr. Fred Mixon says the number of patients with flu-like symptoms has at least tripled from about five cases per day in December to 15-20 per day in the past week.
“Most people with flu-like symptoms do not need to go to the Emergency Department,” said Dr. Mixon. “I would encourage those who have flu symptoms – fever, chills, cough, sore throat and body aches – to contact their primary care physician if possible. Other health providers such as urgent care centers or community clinics will have shorter waiting times compared to an emergency department where patients may wait for several hours or longer to be treated.”
Comments
10 Responses to “Rise In Local Flu Cases Strains ER”
I had the shot – and still got the flu. Stayed home, stayed hydrated, lost too much weight, but it was over in about 10 days or so. It was not fun.
Did the article not say from the doctor interviewed not to come to the ER if you have the flu symptoms ? I believe it did. I spent nine years working in the ER amoung other things. I do not need CDC statics about influenza. There are always complications or secondary problems that can arise from anything left untreaded. Go to your primary doctor. You making this out to be more than it is. Some of you just don’t get it!!
Nudo somewhere between 250,000 and 500,000 people die each year worldwide from influenza. Between 1979 and 2001 on average 41,400 people in the US died from influenza. Should they have stayed home? Was staying home the reason they died? I don’t know. Which of those 41,400 people should have stayed at home? 12,000 died last year because of the swine flu alone in the US according to the CDC. It’s often complications that send people to the emergency room and it’s those same complications that tend to kill them too and there are antibiotics for the secondary bacterial infections that set in with the flu.
i have having some of those things and i hope i dont have a flu
Yes chumuckla that is correct. But not all chest pain is related to the heart either, and we can go on for hours. I’m saying use common sense.
Nudo, cold viruses come in hundreds of different strains..not all are alike, some more serious than others.
INFLUENZA, however, is another matter…some of these people may actually have the flu and may need emergency treatment. Unfortunately, not everyone can tell the difference from a very bad cold virus and an actual influenza…that is why there are doctors..to determine who has what.
You go to Sacred Heart ER you will be there 4 hours before any one can see you. I set in the ER with a baby turning purple and after 31/2 hours left. Unbelieveable!!!!
Theres nothing you can do for a virus people…why clogg the er. There aren’t any antibiotics for viruses. Take something for the fever, drink plenty of fluids and rest.
I got mine last month and am glad I did. I kept “putting it off” last year and as a result, got pneumonia….won’t do that again! I am 67 yrs old and retired from the medical profession.. There is no excuse for me! lol
Is there any way to find out if these people with flu-like symptoms had their flu shots or not? I had mine and have not had the flu. I wonder if we took a survey here, how many readers have had their flu shots? And do they feel the shot has worked for them so far? I think more people should get the flu shot. The flu is miserable. I did have it a few years ago and was down for two weeks. I could barely move off the couch or bed. I guess the shot was not a good match that year. This year’s shot seems to be a good match though.