ER visits for flu-like illnesses up nearly 20% in Shelby County

Melissa Moon
·2 min read
4

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Doctors with Baptist Memorial Hospital Health Care say the flu is putting people in the hospital, and it could get worse in the coming weeks.

Dr. Stephen Thredkeld, an infectious disease specialist with Baptist, said Wednesday they had 30 hospitalizations with Influenza and 35 with COVID, and system-wide, they’ve seen about 151 patients with the combined diagnosis.

“We’re seeing the reflection of the national increase of the flu, which is particularly running very high in the Southeast now,” said Dr. Thredkeld. Right now, we are seeing some sick people with it really and in the ICU occasionally. So, we are running up to and probably exceeding Last year’s peak.”

The Shelby County Health Department said ER visits for Flu-Like symptoms are up about 16%-17%.

Health Director Dr. Michelle Taylor said COVID cases are also up, with about 819 cases reported over the last seven days, but the numbers are better than they were over the same period last year.

“Those are the cases that are just being reported out by different providers who have tested people. We do know that there are a lot more people who are testing at home, and we don’t have access to those tests. So what we are recommending is that people really, really be careful. If you haven’t taken advantage of getting the COVID booster, please go out and do that,” said Dr. Taylor.”

Doctors said the good news is there are good therapeutics for COVID and flu, but you have to take them early. Dr. Threkled said the flu vaccine this year is also proving to be effective and could cut hospitalizations down by 52%.

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“One thing, the flu comes on very fast with sometimes a severe headache, and you just feel like you’ve been beaten up, and you can have a high fever, and then a cough will tend to come in. So, there is certainly an overlap between the flu and Covid that it makes sense for someone to get a test because both therapies are very good, but they’re very different,” said Dr. Threlkeld. “It’s important to get a diagnosis if you are a high-risk person.”

Baptist and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital said RSV cases appeared to have peaked locally.

For more information on protecting yourself from RSV, COVID, or the flu, you can log on to the CDC’s website or contact the Shelby County Health Department at 901-222-9000.

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