Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Swine flu deaths: hospitals face long winter
By Simon Lauder for PM
There may be more pressure on hospitals to cope with an increasing number of swine flu cases
There may be more pressure on hospitals to cope with an increasing number of swine flu cases (ABC TV)
A health expert warns hospitals are in for a long winter, with a third Australian confirmed to have died after contracting swine flu.
The 50-year-old woman died at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.
She had been receiving treatment for bone marrow cancer for a long time, but it is believed her death was a direct result of complications with swine flu.
Professor of infectious diseases at the University of NSW, Raina MacIntyre, says there will now be more pressure on hospitals to cope with an increasing number of swine flu cases.
"We may see pressure on beds, increased waiting times in emergency, cancellation of elective procedures to free up beds, as well as staffing issues," she said.
"We can expect that there may be higher rates of staff absenteeism."
About 3,000 Australians have tested positive for swine flu. More than 100 have been hospitalised.
But Professor Macintyre says the death rate from swine flu is still low.
"Normally during seasonal flu we see about 2,500 to 3,000 deaths a year in Australia, so it'll be in that range or more," she said.
"But we really need probably to see many more cases to get an accurate measure of what the mortality rate is.
"It's still early days. It will definitely stress the hospital system."
Containing swine flu
One other patient at the Peter MacCallum Centre also has swine flu.
The centre's head of intensive care, David Charlesworth, says that does not mean the virus is spreading in the hospital.
"Both patients came in with a flu-like illness from the community and we feel as certain as we can be that the influenza was from the community," he said.
Dr Charlesworth says the centre has set up a separate unit so swine flu can be contained.
Today's announcement comes less than 24 hours after Victoria's acting chief medical officer, Dr Rosemary Lester, announced the death of 35-year-old Anthony Splatt.
Mr Splatt had complications with obesity and diabetes and was only diagnosed with swine flu after he died on Saturday.
Dr Lester did not name Mr Splatt at her press conference yesterday, but she gave away enough personal details to cause more trauma for Mr Splatt's mother, Judith Splatt.
Today Dr Rosemary Lester says she was sorry for causing the family more stress.
Australia's response to the H1N1 flu strain is in the protect phase, which means efforts are focused on those who are most susceptible.
Cancer patients are just one group.
Australia's first swine flu-related death came on Friday when a 26-year-old man from a remote Aboriginal community died. He also had pre-existing health problems.
This afternoon Labor Senator Joe Ludwig told Parliament remote communities were getting special attention.
"Governments - that is both state and territory - are working [with] the Commonwealth to ensure people vulnerable to severe complications are protected," he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/24/2607689.htm
By Simon Lauder for PM
There may be more pressure on hospitals to cope with an increasing number of swine flu cases
There may be more pressure on hospitals to cope with an increasing number of swine flu cases (ABC TV)
A health expert warns hospitals are in for a long winter, with a third Australian confirmed to have died after contracting swine flu.
The 50-year-old woman died at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.
She had been receiving treatment for bone marrow cancer for a long time, but it is believed her death was a direct result of complications with swine flu.
Professor of infectious diseases at the University of NSW, Raina MacIntyre, says there will now be more pressure on hospitals to cope with an increasing number of swine flu cases.
"We may see pressure on beds, increased waiting times in emergency, cancellation of elective procedures to free up beds, as well as staffing issues," she said.
"We can expect that there may be higher rates of staff absenteeism."
About 3,000 Australians have tested positive for swine flu. More than 100 have been hospitalised.
But Professor Macintyre says the death rate from swine flu is still low.
"Normally during seasonal flu we see about 2,500 to 3,000 deaths a year in Australia, so it'll be in that range or more," she said.
"But we really need probably to see many more cases to get an accurate measure of what the mortality rate is.
"It's still early days. It will definitely stress the hospital system."
Containing swine flu
One other patient at the Peter MacCallum Centre also has swine flu.
The centre's head of intensive care, David Charlesworth, says that does not mean the virus is spreading in the hospital.
"Both patients came in with a flu-like illness from the community and we feel as certain as we can be that the influenza was from the community," he said.
Dr Charlesworth says the centre has set up a separate unit so swine flu can be contained.
Today's announcement comes less than 24 hours after Victoria's acting chief medical officer, Dr Rosemary Lester, announced the death of 35-year-old Anthony Splatt.
Mr Splatt had complications with obesity and diabetes and was only diagnosed with swine flu after he died on Saturday.
Dr Lester did not name Mr Splatt at her press conference yesterday, but she gave away enough personal details to cause more trauma for Mr Splatt's mother, Judith Splatt.
Today Dr Rosemary Lester says she was sorry for causing the family more stress.
Australia's response to the H1N1 flu strain is in the protect phase, which means efforts are focused on those who are most susceptible.
Cancer patients are just one group.
Australia's first swine flu-related death came on Friday when a 26-year-old man from a remote Aboriginal community died. He also had pre-existing health problems.
This afternoon Labor Senator Joe Ludwig told Parliament remote communities were getting special attention.
"Governments - that is both state and territory - are working [with] the Commonwealth to ensure people vulnerable to severe complications are protected," he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/24/2607689.htm