Flu patients crowd emergency rooms
Updated: January 4, 2013
URBANA -- The flu season started early this year, but emergency rooms are seeing also being hit hard.
Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana says a third of the people coming into their emergency room have flu-like symptoms. Dr. Julie Lewis works in the ER. She says she's seen 12 cases of the flu in one day and the hospital has had around 30 confirmed cases of influenza since November.
"I have never seen this much flu ever," said Lewis. "I haven't been doing this that many years, but this is a much mroe season than most."
The flu is usually toughest on young children and the elderly. They're the two group usually hospitalized for severe symptoms, but Provena says this year they've seen all ages admitted.
Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana says a third of the people coming into their emergency room have flu-like symptoms. Dr. Julie Lewis works in the ER. She says she's seen 12 cases of the flu in one day and the hospital has had around 30 confirmed cases of influenza since November.
"I have never seen this much flu ever," said Lewis. "I haven't been doing this that many years, but this is a much mroe season than most."
The flu is usually toughest on young children and the elderly. They're the two group usually hospitalized for severe symptoms, but Provena says this year they've seen all ages admitted.
