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After skimming Dr. Niman’s lists and wondering whether the “Canterbury” mentioned in many case entries was in England or “the colonies,” I googled it and found the following two articles from Christchurch, Canterbury District, New Zealand posted in a New Zealand news site (www.stuff.co.nz).
Christchurch surgery lists axed as flu strikes
03 August 2006
By JOANNA DAVIS
Winter flu has thrown Christchurch Hospital into gridlock, causing the cancellation of surgery lists already under pressure.
A senior manager described the hospital as "chock-a-block – as busy as it's ever been before" on Tuesday afternoon, when patient numbers surged to 620, 30 over the usual hospital limit.
Patients have been forced to wait up to 10 hours in the Emergency Department.
Yesterday, eight patients missed out on surgery, with a warning that more cancellations could follow.
Canterbury District Health Board medical and surgical general manager Mark Leggett said the surgery would be rescheduled as soon as possible.
The postponements have increased pressure on waiting lists. About 5300 patients are due to receive a letter from the board this week, advising them they have been dropped from surgery and specialist outpatient waiting lists and returned to the care of their GPs. That figure includes more than 400 patients awaiting surgery for urology.
Leggett said the hospital would "aim to catch up" rather than cut more people from the list. However, he could not guarantee that would be possible.
The overcrowding was not just due to flu.
"It's a combination of a very cold June and then July being wet and nasty, with a very busy Princess Margaret Hospital meaning we can't send patients there," he said.
Virologist Lance Jennings said the flu virus affecting most Christchurch people was the New York strain of Influenza A.
[ Another website identifies the New York strain as "A/New York/55/2004/H3N2-like"]
"It has been circulating in New Zealand for a number of months, but its activity seems to be peaking in Christchurch now," he said.
Nationally, the virus had affected mainly younger people.
"People over the age of 65 seem to be relatively well protected, possibly because of a high uptake of this year's flu vaccine," he said.
The health board is asking people to see their GP or an after-hours medical centre if they have a non-urgent illness or injury.
Emergency Department clinical director Angela Pitchford said 215 patients were seen in the department on Tuesday, with numbers consistently above 200 patients a day for the past five days.
She said those numbers were well above average.
"It's been very difficult to cope, simply because it's slow to move patients on to a hospital that's so full," she said.
******
AND, following the news backward, found this:
Flu bugs hospitals and workplaces 23 July 2006
By RUTH HILL
A virulent flu bug cut a swathe through the east coast of the North Island last week, paralysing workplaces, filling hospital beds and delaying elective surgery.
But experts say the real infection rate could be much higher.
According to data collected by Environmental Science and Research, Rotorua was hardest hit last week, with 374.8 consultations per 100,000 people.
The Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay also recorded high numbers of consultations for flu-type illnesses.
The official flu season, which started on May 1, has generally been more muted than last year. However, Canterbury clinical virologist Dr Lance Jennings said the pressure on hospitals, and anecdotal reports of widespread absenteeism, could indicate that infection rates were much higher.
Some cases may not be recorded because people were not sick enough to go to the doctor.
"But at the same time, hospitals are being swamped with a large number of admissions for winter illnesses, which would seem to indicate that influenza is having an impact. I think we're looking at an insidious sort of spread."
Rotorua Hospital has been running at 85-95% bed occupancy for the past two weeks, while many staff have been off sick or nursing dependents.
A spokeswoman for Lakes District Health Board said staff shortages had meant some operations had to be cancelled last week.
"This year people seem to be sicker for longer and are taking a while to bounce back."
Hawke's Bay Hospital was on "red alert" in most inpatient areas last week, indicating all available beds were in use.
No surgery or outpatient appointments were postponed .
Until the middle of last week, Auckland City Hospital had been on "red alert" for the past fortnight with all available beds in use and a shortage of theatre nurses.
While Jennings hoped the flu season peak had passed, he warned the start of the new school term could bring a fresh outbreak.
Every year, influenza kills about 420 New Zealanders - about the same number as those who die on the roads.
More than 761,000 people were vaccinated against the flu this year -44,000 more than last year, an increase of about 6%. The vaccine is free for those aged 65 and over, and for anyone over six months with an underlying medical condition.
Christchurch surgery lists axed as flu strikes
03 August 2006
By JOANNA DAVIS
Winter flu has thrown Christchurch Hospital into gridlock, causing the cancellation of surgery lists already under pressure.
A senior manager described the hospital as "chock-a-block – as busy as it's ever been before" on Tuesday afternoon, when patient numbers surged to 620, 30 over the usual hospital limit.
Patients have been forced to wait up to 10 hours in the Emergency Department.
Yesterday, eight patients missed out on surgery, with a warning that more cancellations could follow.
Canterbury District Health Board medical and surgical general manager Mark Leggett said the surgery would be rescheduled as soon as possible.
The postponements have increased pressure on waiting lists. About 5300 patients are due to receive a letter from the board this week, advising them they have been dropped from surgery and specialist outpatient waiting lists and returned to the care of their GPs. That figure includes more than 400 patients awaiting surgery for urology.
Leggett said the hospital would "aim to catch up" rather than cut more people from the list. However, he could not guarantee that would be possible.
The overcrowding was not just due to flu.
"It's a combination of a very cold June and then July being wet and nasty, with a very busy Princess Margaret Hospital meaning we can't send patients there," he said.
Virologist Lance Jennings said the flu virus affecting most Christchurch people was the New York strain of Influenza A.
[ Another website identifies the New York strain as "A/New York/55/2004/H3N2-like"]
"It has been circulating in New Zealand for a number of months, but its activity seems to be peaking in Christchurch now," he said.
Nationally, the virus had affected mainly younger people.
"People over the age of 65 seem to be relatively well protected, possibly because of a high uptake of this year's flu vaccine," he said.
The health board is asking people to see their GP or an after-hours medical centre if they have a non-urgent illness or injury.
Emergency Department clinical director Angela Pitchford said 215 patients were seen in the department on Tuesday, with numbers consistently above 200 patients a day for the past five days.
She said those numbers were well above average.
"It's been very difficult to cope, simply because it's slow to move patients on to a hospital that's so full," she said.
******
AND, following the news backward, found this:
Flu bugs hospitals and workplaces 23 July 2006
By RUTH HILL
A virulent flu bug cut a swathe through the east coast of the North Island last week, paralysing workplaces, filling hospital beds and delaying elective surgery.
But experts say the real infection rate could be much higher.
According to data collected by Environmental Science and Research, Rotorua was hardest hit last week, with 374.8 consultations per 100,000 people.
The Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay also recorded high numbers of consultations for flu-type illnesses.
The official flu season, which started on May 1, has generally been more muted than last year. However, Canterbury clinical virologist Dr Lance Jennings said the pressure on hospitals, and anecdotal reports of widespread absenteeism, could indicate that infection rates were much higher.
Some cases may not be recorded because people were not sick enough to go to the doctor.
"But at the same time, hospitals are being swamped with a large number of admissions for winter illnesses, which would seem to indicate that influenza is having an impact. I think we're looking at an insidious sort of spread."
Rotorua Hospital has been running at 85-95% bed occupancy for the past two weeks, while many staff have been off sick or nursing dependents.
A spokeswoman for Lakes District Health Board said staff shortages had meant some operations had to be cancelled last week.
"This year people seem to be sicker for longer and are taking a while to bounce back."
Hawke's Bay Hospital was on "red alert" in most inpatient areas last week, indicating all available beds were in use.
No surgery or outpatient appointments were postponed .
Until the middle of last week, Auckland City Hospital had been on "red alert" for the past fortnight with all available beds in use and a shortage of theatre nurses.
While Jennings hoped the flu season peak had passed, he warned the start of the new school term could bring a fresh outbreak.
Every year, influenza kills about 420 New Zealanders - about the same number as those who die on the roads.
More than 761,000 people were vaccinated against the flu this year -44,000 more than last year, an increase of about 6%. The vaccine is free for those aged 65 and over, and for anyone over six months with an underlying medical condition.