CHEO warns of 'surge' of respiratory illnesses in children, but it's not COVID-19
CHEO is warning of an increase in respiratory illnesses in school-age children.
The hospital said in a release Monday that the emergency department's volumes are 16 per cent higher than they would be at this time of the year. They're warning families that they may have to wait in "unusual places" in order for staff to maintain physical distancing protocols.
The increase does not appear to be driven by COVID-19, however.
“Ottawa has started to see a slight uptick in the number of positive COVID-19 tests, likely indicating the beginning of a fourth wave. Yet positive COVID-19 tests in kids are low – for the moment – so something else is driving the ED surge,” said Dr. Ken Farion, CHEO's Medical Director of Strategy, Quality and Systems Improvement and an emergency department physician.
“CHEO, like other hospitals in the region, anticipated more kids coming to see us with flu-like symptoms as soon as COVID-19 restrictions eased up in the community.”
The hospital notes that other countries have seen viral surges after lockdowns lift and restrictions that kept those viruses at bay loosen.
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA's "Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron", Farion said these illnesses are uncommon in August and usually start popping up after kids get back to school.
"For most children, they present with cold-like symptoms: runny nose, cough, sneezing, fever, symptoms that remain indistinguishable from COVID without a test," he said.
Farion said that with the hospital keeping COVID-19 protocals in place, they've had to resort to moving families out of the emergency waiting room as they wait to be called.
Before, there was lots of room in our waiting rooms for families to wait for their turn," he explained. "Now, we've got people in chairs down the hallways or other locations that are not our usual waiting room. We've had to ask families to wait in the car. We've used other conference rooms closer to the emergency room as waiting rooms."
CHEO says wait times are posted online and update every 15 minutes.
Viral illness is not the only surge CHEO is seeing. The hospital is also seeing surges in mental health patients and in catching up on the backlog of treatments put on hold because of the pandemic.
CHEO is urging families to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to roll up their sleeves again come flu season when the seasonal flu vaccine is available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.