Ajax-Pickering emergency room bombarded with flu patients

AJAX -- While many people naturally run to the emergency room when they feel flu-like symptoms in a time when H1N1 is of international concern, a doctor at the Ajax-Pickering hospital says the trip is usually unnecessary.

Emergency rooms in both the Rouge Valley Health System's Ajax and Scarborough locations are seeing an additional 100 to 150 patients per day coming in with flu-like symptoms, said Dr. Abdelbaset Belhaj in an interview.

"Most of the cases are seasonal flu," said the medical director of Rouge Valley's infection prevention and control team.

"Most of them are mild cases in young adults."

Unless flu-like symptoms are worsening, and those with the flu are noticing a shortness of breath, chest pains, or a high fever that lasts more than four days, it's best to stay home.

A Rouge Valley information sheet suggests to first stay home if experiencing flu-like symptoms, but if conditions worsen after five days, the person should contact Telehealth, their local doctor's office or walk-in clinic. If conditions worsen from there, then it's time to go to the emergency department.

Dr. Belhaj explained the flu could be only mild for a person who comes in with the symptoms, but could much more severely affect someone waiting in the emergency room who may already have a severe illness or weak immune system.

"It's better for them to stay home so they don't affect other patients," he said, adding most cases are manageable at home.

While no one has died from H1N1 at Rouge Valley, Mr. Belhaj noted those who have died from the pandemic elsewhere in Ontario, have usually had some other form of underlying illness.

So far, Dr. Belhaj said, Rouge Valley has seen only two people with H1N1. Both were children with mild versions at the Centenary campus in Scarborough. The hospital took proper precautions by wearing proper equipment such as masks and gloves, sanitizing properly and isolating the patients.

"They're at home now," he said.

A number of people are also coming in and asking for the H1N1 vaccine or to get their Tamiflu prescription filled, he said. The hospital specializes in acute care and only administers the shot to employees and volunteers. Everyone else must go to the clinics being run by the Durham Region Health Department, he said. For Tamiflu, they have to go to their local pharmacy.

For more facts, information on symptoms, self-assessment and caring for those with H1N1:

Visit www.rougevalley.ca/h1n1