Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care Centres
NHS Emergency Rooms (ER) and Urgent Care Centres (UCC) saw a one percent overall decrease in patient volumes yesterday as compared to the daily average in September; 506 patients yesterday compared to the September daily average of 512.
An additional 18 patients were seen in the Flu Assessment Centre, for a 2.3 percent overall increase of ER, Urgent Care and Flu Assessment Centre visits. Of the 524 patients seen in the ERs, UCCs and Flu Assessment Centre, 28 per cent of patients, or 147 patients, presented with flu symptoms.
People should only go to the FAC if they have mild flu symptoms – fever, dry cough, sore throat, mild vomiting, diarrhea, headache, body/muscle aches. They should go to the ER or call 911 if their condition is more serious.
The Flu Assessment Centre operated by NHS will remain open until Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m.
Since opening on November 2 at the Ontario Street Site in St. Catharines, this centre has treated a total of 387 patients, helping to take some of the pressure off the ERs and Urgent Care Centres by redirecting patients with mild flu symptoms to the centre. This past week, the number of patients coming to the Flu Assessment Centre has been on the decline.
Inpatients and Intensive Care Units
Most of the patients with flu-like illness are not critically ill. In most cases, these patients are treated and discharged and have not required hospitalization. There are currently 37 inpatients with confirmed or suspected H1N1 flu.
Surgery
NHS returned to the regular surgical schedule effective today, with the exception of pediatric day surgical cases, which are expected to resume Monday, November 16.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Caroline Bourque Wiley
Consultant, Public Affairs
905-378-4647, ext. 43113
cwiley@niagarahealth.on.ca
