NZ: Flu outbreak stretches Auckland hospitals to capacity

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.3news.co.nz/Flu-outbreak-...6/Default.aspx


Flu outbreak stretches hospitals to capacity
Wednesday 23 Jul 2014 6:51a.m.

Auckland hospitals are being stretched to capacity as large numbers are hit by the winter flu season.

North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals are bursting with a higher number of patients than usual affected by winter respiratory illness.

Medical admissions at Waitemata are up 20 percent on the same two weeks last year, Auckland District Health Board chief executive Dr Dale Bramley says...

[tetano]

Re: NZ: Flu outbreak stretches Auckland hospitals to capacity

Hospitals in Auckland had to postpone elective surgeries to meet the growing needs of beds in hospitals as people taking to bed with severe flu or influenza is on the rise.

The North Shore Hospital in New Zealand is showing the first signs of the onset of winter, accompanied by the very contagious flu virus. Dr Dale Bramley, Waitemata DHB chief executive, said that the number of patients being admitted in Auckland's North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals are increasing each day, causing a great challenge for doctors and hospital staff.


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http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/560132/20140723/flu-influenza-new-zealand-north-shore-hospital.htm#.U8_IqECnH0o

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ: Flu outbreak stretches Auckland hospitals to capacity

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11302902


Hospital pushed to limit as flu hits hard
5:00 AM Saturday Aug 2, 2014

Cases of winter flu have spiked up to twice the national rate in Auckland, with hospitals reporting a surge in admissions.

The medical wards at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland were 13 per cent over capacity yesterday and were only able to avoid overcrowding by relying on surgical wards which were 11 per cent under capacity. On Thursday, the hospital's emergency care centre managed 335 patients.

"We've had high volumes all week," said Dot McKeen, a Middlemore manager. "After quite a warm June, we got cold weather then we got a lot of the respiratory illnesses, the usual winter ills and chills, plus there's been an increasing number of flu patients around.

"We've had large numbers ... most of this week we've had over 300 a day coming through emergency care. We are fortunate that the majority of our elective surgery is done off site [at a separate public hospital] so we haven't had to cancel any...