Jan 27, 2025
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Doctors at local hospitals told News 4 they were already full before the flu season. They said the recent surge isn't helping. "It is extremely busy," said Dr. Lance Watson, an Emergency Medicine Physician and the Emergency Department Manager at Mercy. It's near the end of January. "We are still heading to the peak. We are not at the peak yet," said Dr. Rita Wilson, the OU Health Director of Infection Control and Prevention. Doctors at both Mercy and OU Health said they can feel the brunt of flu season. "We have experienced a surge over the last month," said Dr. Watson. "It really is creating a crunch right now," said Dr. Dale Bratzler, Dean of Hudson College of Public Health. Dr. Bratzler said during the first week of December there were 23 positive tests at OU Health. Fast forward to this past week, that number has sky rocketed to 931. "That's a 40-fold increase in the total number of positive tests," said Dr. Bratzler. "One in four people who get a flu test, done are coming back positive right now." According to the Walgreens flu tracker, Oklahoma City is number one in the nation for flu activity. Dr. Watson said that seems about right. "I would say it fits with what I'm seeing," said Dr. Watson. Dr. Watson said his emergency room is back to pre-pandemic flu levels. Flu cases on the rise in Oklahoma Now, they're juggling patients, beds, and getting them seen in a timely manner. "We have 27 beds in our emergency department and we have 11 beds in our I-35 Edmond location," said Dr. Watson. "In our Oklahoma City location, we're generally seeing 150, about 180 patients a day." Dr. Wilson said before the surge, OU Health was already full with routine illnesses. Now, the flu is adding to that. "We have been at capacity and adult side specifically at OUMC and we have had to be on diversion a few times these past few weeks, delaying transfers due to our bed capacity situation," said Dr. Wilson. Some of the patients coming in have already had their flu shot. "I never tell a patient that you won't get the flu if you get the flu shot, but you're much less likely to be in the hospital or in the intensive care unit," said Dr. Bratzler. The doctors stress you still have time to vaccinate. The doctors also want to remind everyone, you can get a flu test from your primary care physician or urgent care. "We're the safety net for the health care system in the emergency department," said Dr. Watson. "But we also don't want you to have to sit in the waiting room for 4 hours to be told that you have the flu and go home and take Tylenol, either." Dr. Wilson said if you are a patient doesn't have other underlying health issues, like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, and treatment/medicine isn't working, then the ER is an option. Dr. Watson also wants parents to remember not to be scared if their child has a fever. Those can be handled with over-the-counter medicine. ...read more read less
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