Sudbury Regional Hospital is reporting that several patients in the hospital’s Critical Care Unit are either confirmed or believed to have H1N1 (swine flu).
Local health officials are seeking to ensure that people are armed with accurate and timely information as to how to limit the spread and risk of infection, and when to seek medical care, according to a press release put out by the hospital and the Sudbury & District Health Unit.
According to the hospital's vice-president, Joe Pilon, the patients come from across the region.
“The addition of these patients has placed extra demand on our Critical Care and we are working with Criticall, the North Bay and Sault Area hospitals to ensure our patients receive appropriate care. We are also looking at canceling elective surgery that would require a critical care bed post-operatively.”
The hospital's chief of staff, Dr. Chris Bourdon, says that he understands the concern in the community, which is reflected in the high number of people seeking care in the Emergency Department (ED). He stresses, however, that the ED must be reserved for seriously ill patients.
“People are nervous, but we need to get the message across that the majority of people who are suffering from flu-like symptoms don’t need to seek medical care,” said Bourdon.
He cites the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s on-line assessment tool and Telehealth Ontario as resources that may help people learn whether they or their child have symptoms of the flu, and decide what to do next. (Link and phone number follow.)
He adds that there are some “rules of thumb” that may be applied to knowing when the time is right to seek care. They include:
- Severe shortness of breath
- Headache or vomiting leading to difficulty eating or drinking and dehydration
- Sustained high fever
- People in high risk groups (for example, pregnant women, young children, and the immunocompromised)
“If you cannot control symptoms with fluid, acetaminophen and rest, and continue to get worse, come to the ED without delay. If these measures are working you may wish to stay away from the ED to avoid transmitting, or even contracting, the virus,” says Dr. Bourdon. Testing for the H1N1 virus is being performed on admitted patients only.
Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Sudbury & District Medical Officer of Health, reminds everyone of the precautions they can take to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus:
- Get the H1N1 vaccine. Visit www.sdhu.com for clinic schedules.
- Stay at home if you are sick and reduce contact with family members and the public.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often with hot water and liquid soap.
- Sneeze and cough into your sleeve.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
If someone in your home is ill with flu:
- Limit your contact with the ill person as much as possible.
- Remind the ill person to cough into a tissue or their upper sleeve and to dispose immediately of used tissues.
- Remind everyone in the home to wash their hands thoroughly and often.
- Keep common surfaces and items clean and disinfected.
- Do not give aspirin or products that contain aspirin to children and teenagers.
Bourdon supports the hand washing message, stressing the importance of hand washing when entering or exiting the hospital. For the safety of staff and other people waiting for care, he reminds patients in the ED that if they are asked to wear a mask, to please follow those instructions and keep it properly in place until asked to remove it by a medical professional.
Both hospital and public health officials agree that H1N1 is a virus that should be taken seriously, but they want to reassure the public that there is no need for panic.
“The overwhelming majority of people who contract H1N1 will have relatively mild symptoms and recover after a few days of discomfort,” affirms Bourdon. “We are working together to do we can to mitigate the impact of this virus on our patients and our community.”
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s on-line assessment tool:
www.health.gov.on.ca/en/ccom/flu/h1n1/public/tools/assessment/default.aspx
Telehealth Ontario: Call 1-866-797-0000. TTY: 1-866-797-0007. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.