The number of influenza cases are up, and Fraser Health is concerned emergency rooms will get plugged up.
Medical Health Officer Martin Lavoie says with more people getting the flu, they expect more people to pack into emergency rooms on top of what they already have to deal with.
“We are starting to see an impact on our facilities, we’re starting to see more people showing up in emergency rooms for example, or going to a medical clinic to be assessed.”
“And so every year what we see is this pressure on our facilities, on our system, in terms of demand for services. Sometimes if it’s a really bad year it creates a lot of pressure, and then we run out of beds.”
He says unless it’s an emergency situation, people should either call their doctor or 8-1-1 to get some advice.
The health authority says since the end of December it’s seen 5 confirmed and 4 suspected influenza outbreaks in residential care facilities.
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