EDs Report Strong Surges in Flu-related Volume, Straining Capacity in Some Regions

With influenza season intensifying, many EDs report strong surges in flu related volume. Although illness severity does not appear to be atypical, hospitals that see high numbers of older patients and the chronically ill face extra challenges meeting the needs of patients who have added susceptibility to flu-related complications. Experts note that all flu strains circulating this year appear to be sensitive to antiviral medications. In mid-February, the CDC reported the number of flu cases was still on the increase in most regions of the country, with 28 states reporting a high incidence of influenza-like illness. Hospitals in Portland, OR, have instituted "zone management" multiple times -- a process whereby ambulances are supervised closely and redirected so that individual hospitals do not become overwhelmed. EDs in both Pennsylvania and Missouri report that flu-related volume is much higher this year than in 2016. The vast majority of flu cases this year involve influenza A (H3N2), although the CDC notes that influenza B viruses also are circulating.