A surge of viruses is leaving healthcare workers at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital scrambling to free up beds and find space for patients.
As of Thursday afternoon, hospital leaders say zero beds were available in the intensive care unit (ICU).
A majority of patients who have filled the ICU are suffering from respiratory viruses like RSV and the flu.
While they always see an uptick in cases around this time of year, they say it is especially bad right now.
The hospital says they had 290 admissions for respiratory viruses last month. They’ve had at least 137 so far this month.
Officials say they are averaging eight to ten admissions a day.
RSV cases are going down a little bit but are still very high for this time of year.
Meanwhile, flu cases are skyrocketing.
The hospital says their emergency department is also swamped with patients.
They are averaging 50 patients a day coming in with RSV or flu, and 187 a day with asthma.
Dr. Sandy Arnold said the lack of beds and high number of patients needing one is putting a major strain on the hospital.
“In terms of beds available, I would say there aren’t any,” Dr. Sandy Arnold with the hospital said. “I saw a patient yesterday in the emergency room at about 5 p.m. I had been called about the night before and she still did not have a bed at the time. She has one today, but they were in the emergency room for 24 hours in the room waiting for a bed.”
RSV can affect anyone at any age, but premature infants and babies with underlying lung disease are most at risk.
In adults and older children, RSV usually causes mild cold-like signs and symptoms.
These may include: congested or runny nose, dry cough, low-grade fever, sore throat, sneezing and headache.
Symptoms of severe RSV infection in infants include: short, shallow and rapid breathing, struggling to breathe, cough, poor feeding, unusual tiredness and irritability.
Doctors say prevention of respiratory viruses is key.
Make sure you and your children get your flu shot, stay away from places where people may be sick, and keep your kids home if they aren’t feeling well.
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