Long wait predicted for non-urgent cases at Mount Isa emergency department as the latest bout of the flu rages around town.
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The Clinical directors at the North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS) said the Emergency Department is experiencing higher than normal patient demands and there are likely to be long waits.
The best advice is to consult your GP if you have flu-like symptoms, or if you or your family are particularly unwell and you are concerned and you are not sure what to do or where to go, call one of the registered nurses at 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) any time for advice.
“We are experiencing a heavier than normal rate of presentations to ED,” the NWHHS said in a statement.
“We will continue to see everyone who turns up to ED, but we must still prioritise emergency cases, so people with non-urgent presentations may have to wait longer than normal.”
The latest flu figures showing a consistent increase in notifications and percentage positive tests.
Total influenza notifications for 2017 for the North West are 46 cases, 34 of those in the last three weeks. To date there have been 14 hospitalisations of influenza patients.
It is still not too late for people to have a flu vaccination this year. Those eligible for the government-funded influenza vaccine can access it from their doctor or immunisation provider.
Those eligible for the funded vaccine are:
- Pregnant women during any stage of pregnancy
- Persons 65 years of age or older
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children aged six months to five years
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people 15 years of age or older
- Persons six months of age or older who have certain medical conditions which increase the risk of influenza disease complications.
All others can purchase the vaccine from their doctor, immunisation provider or their local pharmacist.