Winnipeg surgeries postponed because of flu

Winnipeg hospitals are cancelling dozens of surgeries this week to make room on the wards for patients sick with the flu.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority announced late Monday that roughly 80 elective and non-emergency surgeries scheduled this week would be postponed.

"We are dealing with a particularly tough flu season which has resulted in very busy emergency departments and a resulting increase in demand for in-patient beds," said Dr. Bruce Roe, vice-president and chief medical officer at the WRHA, in a release. 

The news comes just after flu season began to peak last week, with officials reporting the severity of the H3N2 strain resulting in more hospitalizations and worse symptoms than previous years. Despite many doctors' claims that immunization is the best defence against the respiratory virus, only 19 per cent of Manitobans have gotten the vaccination.

"Similar to the 2013 flu season, when non-emergency surgeries were postponed, we are increasing the number of temporary beds in our hospitals and are taking preventive steps to reduce the impact of flu," said Roe.

However, emergency and cancer surgeries will continue as planned, he said, as will day surgeries, which do not require overnight use of inpatient beds.

Patients will be contacted if their surgeries need to be delayed, he said. 

Across Winnipeg, about 70 extra beds and 68 surgery beds have been opened at hospitals for patients sick with influenza.

Hospitals are continuing to transfer patients out of hospitals to long-term care facilities in an attempt to free up more beds.

"We recognize and regret the impact on patients awaiting elective and non-emergency surgery, are monitoring the situation daily and will reschedule these surgeries at the earliest opportunity," said Roe.

Health officials continue to ask people who are sick with the flu to stay home, rest and drink fluids — and not to visit loved ones in hospital.

ED closures having 'positive' effect

Roe estimates the final peak of the flu system may be a week or more away. 

"Every flu season is different and puts different challenges on our system," he said. "This current flu season is definitely challenging, and so we're having to respond in a number of different ways."

Roe said the closure of the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre and conversion of Victoria General Hospital's emergency department to urgent care haven't had a negative impact on providing emergency care during the outbreak. 

"That's a natural question that the reorganization might have a negative effect on our ability to respond," he said.

"I think in fact it's demonstrated to have a positive effect, because the region is working together more smoothly and we're able to move patients around the region according to their care needs much quicker, much more fluidly than we were able to in the past 

We also have a much better sense at any time what our current challenges are, and where our challenges in terms of overcapacity are, and can respond to them quickly."