Des Moines emergency rooms fill up as flu cases spike
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Des Moines has been battling a surge in flu cases since December, and the Polk County Health Department says the virus' spread isn't over yet.
State of play: Flu season is still going strong in the new year, and the peak could be coming more quickly than usual, PCHD spokesperson Addie Olson tells Axios.
- Typically, influenza in the area peaks between January and February, Olson says.
By the numbers: UnityPoint hospitals in Des Moines experienced a tenfold increase in Influenza A positivity rates over three weeks in December.
- For the week of Dec. 14, four adults and 29 kids tested positive in the ER.
- By the week of Dec. 28, that grew to 45 adults and 115 kids, per UnityPoint.
- From Dec. 13 to Jan. 3, Methodist alone saw an increase from 18 to 176 positive results.
Zoom in: UnityPoint hospitals in Des Moines are at capacity and are postponing elective surgeries and procedures requiring overnight hospital stays from Jan. 8-13, per a statement.
- The postponement is occurring due to "unusually high" patient numbers, increased ER holds and record-setting surgical cases, per UnityPoint. Flu cases are a significant contributor.
- MercyOne is also experiencing higher-than-normal flu activity throughout the state.
Reality check: People with fevers, headaches or coughs should go to urgent care or their primary doctor, Olson says.
- The ER is meant for people having trouble breathing or experiencing chest pain or dehydration, she says.
What they're saying: It's also not too late to get a flu shot, which can reduce the severity of the flu and protect more vulnerable people, Olson says.