As autumn leaves begin to fall and the populace prepares to retreat indoors, the veiled threat of impending respiratory ailments looms like the oncoming winter chill. Local public health units, like well-prepared soldiers, are gearing up for another bout of this seasonal menace.
Grand River Hospital, much like a mirror reflecting the prevalent health scenarios, has registered a rise in respiratory afflictions. This surge has caused the emergency department to witness a steady influx of patients, serving as a stark reminder of the perpetual battle against disease.
The recent days at Grand River Hospital have teetered on occupancy that exceeds one hundred per cent. Bonnie Camm, the executive vice president of clinical services, stated through the digital corridors of an email, that the overwhelming patient volume in the past few weeks necessitated unconventional measures; nursing care spilling into hallways and non-traditional spaces.
The hospital, caught amidst this storm, is reaching out to residents, urging them to only seek emergency room assistance for grave illnesses or injuries, leaving precious medical resources for those in dire need.
In the precipitation of data from the Region of Waterloo Public Health and Paramedic Services, it was reported that the last flu season witnessed an all-time high in influenza cases over the past five years, in the Waterloo Region.
Despite the dip in influenza cases during the initial pandemic waves, the numbers are now back at pre-pandemic levels. Director David Aoki, who oversees infectious diseases, sexual health, and harm reduction for the Region of Waterloo, expressed uncertainty about the course this year might take, considering the removal of multiple protections and the underlying presence of COVID.
Thus far, the region reported three influenza cases, coupled with consistently low RSV cases. However, experience suggests that these trends may escalate from November through May.
Aoki attributed the evolving numbers to multiple variants such as vaccination coverage, vaccine-strain compatibility, and efficacy of protective measures. The time-tested health guidelines still hold good — appropriate hand hygiene and mask usage.
Aoki advised, “Stay home if you’re sick. If you’re sick, it’s best not to spread it around to others in the workplace. Same for children. We hate kids missing school, but they’re great places to spread and then bring it back to other families.”
In the case of COVID-19, public health noted a rise in cases, with an alarming count of 128 new cases declared on a recent Thursday. Cumulatively, the season tallied 3,397 reported cases. Last year, the region had 27,875 lab-confirmed cases, of which 505 unfortunately culminated fatally.
In the past 90 days, the COVID-19 case count appears to be on an uphill journey. From an average 0.2 concerning every 100,000 individuals on July 10, 2023, it escalated to three cases per 100,000 on Oct. 5, 2023. The current outbreak is plaguing high-risk environments such as long term care and retirement homes, communal living arrangements, and hospitals.
Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, associate medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, reiterated on Thursday that COVID-19 remains a reality and it is crucial that we thoughtfully and proactively deploy the measures available to us.
He further mentioned that certain high-risk individuals may already have access to both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines and urged individuals to consult with their family practitioners. They emphasized that once these vaccines are available towards the month-end for the wider public, all residents should seize the opportunity to get vaccinated.
