NWHHS Covid-19 and flu presentations less than 2022 winter modelling predicted

In an interview with The North West Star on Monday, August 22, NWHHS Chief Operating Officer Sean Birgan confirmed Mount Isa and the North West had seen 325 Emergency Department presentations of COVID-19 and 288 cases of influenza during the winter months.

"Modelling suggested this winter wave would be larger than the previous wave. Thankfully that wasn't the case. However, we did see a lot of presentations, and our staff and community members were infected with COVID-19 and influenza, but the majority of the presentations were not admitted," Mr Birgan said.

"We did follow the same patterns as the rest of the state, with the wave peaking in the last week of July. We had 16 patients admitted during July, with 13 in-patients at one time.

"That was significant for us because we have about 58 in-patient beds, so 15-20 per cent of our beds were taken up by COVID-19 admissions and we had to make decisions to create that space."

Despite the North West not getting as cold as other parts of the state, NWHHS continued to track the same wave as the rest of Queensland.

"I think part of it was due to the tourist season and people travelling to the region," he said.

"We followed the same trajectory as the rest of the state. We thought we were going to have increasing cases after the Isa Rodeo. Thankfully that didn't occur as we now pass the incubation period. We dodged a bullet there and it's one we wanted to dodge.

"NWHHS staffing was also impacted during the wave, like the rest of the state. During the peak, about 25 of our staff were recorded as 'Off for COVID-19 reasons', either infected themselves or caring for family members with COVID-19. It may seem like a small number, but it resulted in 3.3 per cent of our staff off at the peak of the wave."

Mr Birgan said the NWHHS was well-prepared for the winter wave.

"We had conducted all the logistical preparations making sure we had adequate supplied of PPE including Rapid Antigen Tests and face masks, we reviewed all our hospital protocols in-line with our COVID-19 response we had identified an area in one of our medical wards we would use as our COVID ward," he said.

"We also provided the opportunity for our staff to get their booster doses, partnered with the Department of Health and other HHS providing free RAT kits to the community and often talked with Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Police Service about our strategies and plans as a multiservice response."

Etching closer to the summer months, Mr Birgan said modelling suggested continuing this downward trend.

"We are likely to see presentations continue to decrease. In the hospital currently, we only have two patients admitted with COVID-19, which reflects that continual decline of acute admissions and we are likely to see that in weeks and months," he said.

"We are expecting to see one or two patients in the service that require admission for COVID-19, becoming a new reality across the state."

Mr Birgan shared advice moving forward to prevent getting COVID-19.

"If you're eligible to get a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine, go and get it. It is available at your local GP or pharmacy," he said.

"Secondly, if you're unwell with any illness, don't go to work as it increases spread, eat healthily, get some exercise and mask up if you cannot socially distance."

From July 2021- July 2022, NWHHS saw 1055 presentations of COVID-19 and 299 cases of influenza.

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