MHSC
Senior Moderator
Flu virus rampant
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="232"> <tbody><tr> <td class="related_content_print">
</td> <td class="related_content_email"></td> <td class="related_content_alert"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
</td> </tr> <!-- related_video --> <!-- related_audio --> <!-- related_articles --> <!-- related_sites --> <!-- related_downloads --> <!-- related_competitions --> <!-- poll --> <!-- end poll --> </tbody></table>
<exsl:string xmlns:exsl="http://exslt.org/common">Aug 17, 2006</exsl:string>
Many regions are in the grip of winter ailments and hospitals are struggling to cope as staff fall ill too.
Waikato Hospital is the latest to reach a critical situation, having to defer three days of elective surgery to free up bed space.
The hospital's acting general manager for health services, Jan Adams, says Waikato is probably the latest region to be hard hit by winter flu, and it is stretching respiratory and cardiology services in particular. She says the emergency department is seeing an extra 30 patients a day at the moment.
Waikato District Health Board says it is also mindful thousands will come to the region to pay respects to the Maori Queen, and asks people with minor ailments to see their GP first.
Hospitals in other regions, including Christchurch, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Taranaki, are at or close to full capacity.
Meanwhile, Christchurch-based virologist Lance Jennings says it could be another six weeks before the country is through the flu season.
Jennings says New Zealand is in the grip of influenza virus activity with Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, Taranaki, Wanganui and Auckland also among the affected regions. He says while the elderly are specially vulnerable to complications, people of all ages have been hit.
Jennings says it is not wise for people to rush back to work.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/816097
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="232"> <tbody><tr> <td class="related_content_print">
</td> <td class="related_content_email"></td> <td class="related_content_alert"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
<exsl:string xmlns:exsl="http://exslt.org/common">Aug 17, 2006</exsl:string>
Many regions are in the grip of winter ailments and hospitals are struggling to cope as staff fall ill too.
Waikato Hospital is the latest to reach a critical situation, having to defer three days of elective surgery to free up bed space.
The hospital's acting general manager for health services, Jan Adams, says Waikato is probably the latest region to be hard hit by winter flu, and it is stretching respiratory and cardiology services in particular. She says the emergency department is seeing an extra 30 patients a day at the moment.
Waikato District Health Board says it is also mindful thousands will come to the region to pay respects to the Maori Queen, and asks people with minor ailments to see their GP first.
Hospitals in other regions, including Christchurch, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Taranaki, are at or close to full capacity.
Meanwhile, Christchurch-based virologist Lance Jennings says it could be another six weeks before the country is through the flu season.
Jennings says New Zealand is in the grip of influenza virus activity with Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, Taranaki, Wanganui and Auckland also among the affected regions. He says while the elderly are specially vulnerable to complications, people of all ages have been hit.
Jennings says it is not wise for people to rush back to work.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/816097