Quebec ERs are overflowing before flu season hits its peak

Ahead of the peak of flu season, Quebec emergency rooms are overwhelmed in several regions, including the greater Montreal area, Centre-du-Quebec and the National Capital.

Dr. Antonio D'Angelo, chief of pediatric emergency medicine at CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal, said he expects infections to peak on Dec. 25 or 26, when there will be fewer people in the health care network to care for patients.

“It's usually very crowded this time of year, but also the flu came out a little earlier this year,” D'Angelo said.

Currently, nearly one in five patients admitted to the emergency department leave without seeing a doctor, according to Dr. Gilbert Boucher, president of the emergency department. Association of Emergency Medicine Specialists of Quebec.

Boucher urges those infected not to visit vulnerable people such as the elderly during the holiday season.

Last week Quebec Quebec Public Health Laboratory About 3,500 cases of influenza have been registered in the region. Currently, 26 percent of tests conducted in the general population for influenza A (H3N2 strain) are positive.

Health officials say the flu is especially prevalent among children ages 5 to 17, and that it's not uncommon for parents to go to emergency rooms instead of consulting a doctor or letting their child rest at home.

With the flu, a fever usually lasts five to seven days. In most cases, children recover well, D'Angelo said. He recommends going to the emergency room only if a baby under three months of age has a fever, dehydration or respiratory distress.

Cases like these have made this year's flu situation a little special, said Dr. Judy Morris, outgoing president Association of Emergency Physicians of Quebec.

In an interview with Radio Canada All one morningMorris said the fact that many parents are also sick adds to the “usual burden” this year.

There are also at least eight reported cases of measles in Quebec as of Sunday, including two at CHU Sainte-Justine, and patients may be infectious in the hospital's waiting rooms.

Highly vulnerable older people

This year, older people have been particularly affected by the severity of the flu.

“Whether in the waiting room or on a stretcher, almost every second patient shows up with a high fever and flu-like symptoms,” said Dr. Elise Berger Pelletier, an emergency physician at the Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis.

These are mostly elderly people who often have a fever and have no choice but to go to the hospital, she said.

Fearing that the holiday season could increase the spread of the flu, public health authorities are reminding people of the importance of monitoring symptoms before attending large gatherings. They also recommend going to a clinic to see a doctor or calling 811 to get advice from a nurse.

Morris also emphasized that wearing a mask is still a good habit when experiencing symptoms.

“We see it works. We carry it in hospitals,” Morris said.

Dr. Caroline Quach, Quebec's national director of public health, said symptoms are more concerning when the fever goes away and returns after two or three days.

“That's when we have to ask ourselves whether there is a bacterial superinfection and whether antibiotics might then be needed,” Quach said. “It is at this second stage that you should consult your doctor.”

Almost everywhere in Canada

Nationally, the rate of positive flu tests was 27.7 per cent last week, according to Health Canada. The highest level recorded in the last three seasons.

In several provinces, including British Columbia and Saskatchewan, health authorities are concerned about low vaccination coverage. Although this year's flu vaccine is less effective, it still helps prevent complications among populations most at risk, experts say.

Currently, only the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Newfoundland and Labrador are spared.