ICU swamped by swine flu patients

[wotan]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/2597999/ICU-swamped-by-swine-flu-patients

ICU swamped by swine flu patients
By KIM THOMAS - Health reporter - The Press
Last updated 05:00 16/07/2009

Christchurch Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is overflowing after an influx of people with swine flu.

ICU staff are working extra shifts to cover the overflow, and new patients requiring intensive care may have to be sent to other South Island hospitals.

Surgeons have been told that any elective-surgery patients needing to recover in the unit, including all elective cardiac surgery patients, could have their surgery postponed.

Influenza experts say the presence of previously healthy people in the unit with swine flu could indicate the virus is mutating and becoming deadlier.

Christchurch Hospital acting general manager Ruth Barclay said yesterday there were eight people in the unit with swine flu or flu-like illnesses who needed ventilation.

The unit usually had no more than 12 patients but had been expanded to accommodate 15.

"The ICU is the area where influenza H1N1 is having the biggest impact," Barclay said.

"We've got young people, from two years to 50, with H1N1, and some have no underlying medical conditions."

The heads of surgical departments had been sent a memo telling them to consult on any surgery requiring ICU recovery time, she said. It had always been anticipated that the spread of swine flu might mean elective surgery had to be postponed.

ICU staff were working longer hours to cope with extra patients, but in the event of a multiple-victim accident or too many new patients being admitted to the unit with influenza, some might have to be transferred to Dunedin, Invercargill or Nelson, Barclay said.

Canterbury hospitals were coping well with the winter influx of patients, she said. There were 59 people in Canterbury hospitals with flu-like symptoms yesterday.

 

[DazzaMc]

Re: ICU swamped by swine flu patients

I know those Australians steal anything good which comes out of New Zealand but please don't tell me they have stolen Christchurch as well?!

Last time I looked - Christchurch was in New Zealand, not Australia!




Perhaps that was the real cause of last nights earthquake - the Aussies uplifting Christchurch?

 

[wotan]

Re: ICU swamped by swine flu patients

Sorry. Please move.