‘We are treating sicker patients.’ Flu patients increasing at Columbus hospitals
Columbus-area hospitals are seeing significant increases in patients, following statewide trends as respiratory illnesses continue to spread.
States across the southeastern United States are showing signs of the flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with Georgia being rated with a high level of influenza activity as of Oct. 22.
Along with the flu, there has also been an increase in hospitalizations because of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in multiple United States regions, according to the CDC. RSV is a cold-like respiratory virus that children are often exposed to in schools or child-care centers.
The virus spreads when:
An infected person coughs or sneezes
Virus droplets get in a person’s eyes, nose or mouth
Touching a surface that has the virus
Direct contact, like kissing the face of a child with RSV
People infected with RSV are contagious for 3-to-8 days, according to the CDC.
‘Treating sicker patients’
Piedmont Columbus Regional has experienced an increase in its emergency room visits, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Chris Edwards told the Ledger-Enquirer, especially in its Pediatric Emergency Department.
“They’re on track to have one of their busiest months on record for October,” he said.
The increased pediatric volume is partially due to influenza and RSV, Edwards said. An influx of pediatric hospitalizations because of RSV has been intermittent over the last several weeks, he said, but it has slowed down in the past week.
The hospital’s ICU is at capacity, he said. This is not due to the amount of respiratory virus-related critical illness, but the medical floors of the hospital currently have a small surge of flu patients.
St. Francis-Emory Healthcare has had a consistent number of emergency room visits in the past week, spokesperson Grant Farrimond told the Ledger-Enquirer.
“However, we are seeing patients with a higher level of acuity,” he said. “We are treating sicker patients.”
From late September through October, more than 90% of St. Francis-Emory ICU beds have been in use.
“Despite the high rate of utilization, we continue to serve the needs of the community,” Farrimond said.
When to go to the emergency room
The decision on when it is appropriate to go to the hospital rather than visiting their primary care physician or an urgent care depends on the comorbidities of the patient, Edwards said.
“Certainly a patient who is feeling shortness of breath should seek medical attention,” he said.
According to Edwards and Farrimond, the following symptoms or conditions would warrant an emergency room visit:
Change in mental status
Uncontrolled nausea and vomiting
Severe weakness
Lethargy
Chest pain or pressure
Head injuries
Pneumonia
Seizures
Severe abdominal pain
Uncontrolled bleeding
If a person’s condition is less severe and not life-threatening, Farrimond said, they should seek care and treatment at an urgent care clinic or their primary care provider.
“We strongly urge our community not to delay essential and emergency care,” he said.
Some of the strain on hospitals continues to be a shortage in healthcare workers, an issue that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Edwards reports that Piedmont is seeing some improvements in overall staffing level, while St. Francis-Emory recently welcomed more than 30 applicants at a hiring event earlier this week.
“Recruiting and retaining top talent is a huge focus for our organization as the healthcare industry continues to experience consistent workforce shortages across the entire country,” Farrimond said.
COVID-19 in Muscogee County
The number of patients with COVID in both Piedmont and St. Francis-Emory is low, said Edwards and Farrimond, with the flu causing the most hospitalizations.
As of Oct. 26, there were 88 reported cases of COVID in Muscogee County in a two-week period, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, and 5.8% of reported tests were positive. After a small increase in COVID cases during the summer months, the number of cases in the county has trended downward.
Residents can continue to go to the Columbus Health Department for COVID testing and to get vaccinated. The department provides vaccinations for people six months and older on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Testing is held Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Columbus Health Department is located at 5601 Veterans Pkwy.
With COVID-19 cases down, Edwards and Farrimond both encourage residents to get their flu shots given the significant number of cases in the state early in the flu season.
“The vaccine is readily available throughout Columbus and our surrounding communities and is the absolute best defense against this year’s flu strains,” Farrimond said. “Also, increased vaccination numbers can help curb the spread of respiratory diseases as well.”
