B.C. continues to grapple with rising cases of respiratory illness among children | 24CA News
The B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver had one other busy weekend, as instances of flu and respiratory sickness amongst kids proceed to soar throughout the nation.
The estimated wait time to see a physician was reported to be over 10 hours on Friday and over 9 hours on Saturday.
Sarah Bell, the hospital’s chief working officer, mentioned the emergency division continues to expertise excessive volumes and excessive acuity — when a excessive variety of sufferers require extended consideration and care from nursing workers.
On Sunday, the hospital informed CBC News that it was not diverting sufferers and no youngster needing the very best stage of pediatric care would be refused admission.
Bell mentioned mother and father ought to solely deliver kids with a respiratory sickness to the emergency room in the event that they’re having bother respiratory, including that kids who’re youthful than three months and have a fever and are dehydrated with diarrhea or vomiting also needs to go to the ER.
“You probably don’t need emergency care if your child has a cough, cold, sore throat, the flu, pink eye or an earache,” she mentioned.
Children’s hospitals throughout Canada are diverting workers, cancelling procedures and, in some instances, even calling on the Red Cross for assist attributable to surging instances of respiratory infections.
The hospital mentioned it co-ordinates with the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit on the Victoria General Hospital and regional well being authorities to steadiness wanted sources and be sure kids obtain care on the most acceptable location.
‘Working tougher than we ever have earlier than’
Dr. Susan Kuo, a household physician in Richmond, B.C., says she and her colleagues are getting cellphone calls from distressed mother and father each day they’re on the workplace.
“I have never seen this many sick children with respiratory illness — this many sick children period,” she mentioned in an interview. “Every family doctor I know, we’re working harder than we ever have before.”
Kuo says she’s particularly anxious about how tough it’s for kids to get a PCR check for COVID-19.
Two of her younger sick sufferers who had been exhibiting signs of the virus however had examined unfavorable on fast testing kits at dwelling had been informed they could not get a extra dependable, lab-certified check until they had been so in poor health they wanted to be admitted to hospital.
“My diagnosis is based on doing testing and PCR testing is very crucial,” mentioned Kuo.
Kuo mentioned she wants to find out if her sufferers have COVID-19, influenza or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) so she will prescribe the suitable therapy.
Chris Brandt is a father to four-year-old twins and says he introduced his daughter to B.C. Children’s Hospital final week and his son to a hospital in Sechelt on Saturday.
“Luckily both visits just turned out to be ear infections,” he mentioned. “In both cases, the staff were absolutely amazing. But there was a four-hour wait last week … and [Sunday] there was a three-hour wait.”
Brandt says it is demanding for fogeys to move to hospital with their kids and never understand how lengthy they will have to attend to get therapy.
“It’s tough with young kids, that are too young to understand why we’re waiting,” he mentioned. “I can’t imagine 10 to 12 hours.”
Health Ministry, Green Party to deal with state of affairs
B.C.’s Ministry of Health will give an replace Monday morning on defending kids by means of the influenza season.
Health Minister Adrian Dix, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and govt lead of Immunize B.C. Vaccine Operations Dr. Penny Ballem are set to talk in Vancouver at 11:30 a.m. PT.
The B.C. Green Party says its chief Sonia Furstenau and pediatrician Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi may even be addressing media on Monday.
A celebration spokesperson despatched out a media advisory, saying Fursteneau and Gandhi will reply to the state of affairs in B.C. kids’s hospitals and the Minister of Health’s announcement on the present respiratory sickness season at 1 p.m. PT.
