Environmental Science and Research data shows a rise in flu and Covid infections, with a 50% jump in hospitalisations in Auckland. Photo / 123rf
Environmental Science and Research data shows a rise in flu and Covid infections, with a 50% jump in hospitalisations in Auckland. Photo / 123rf
By Ruth Hill of RNZ
Environmental Science and Research (ESR) data shows flu and Covid infections are on the rise, with a sharp jump in hospitalisations for severe respiratory infections across Auckland in the past week.
Meanwhile, GPs warn they are already under pressure.
After phoning her GP clinic severaltimes last week trying to get an urgent appointment, one desperate Lower Hutt resident decided to go to Lower Hutt After-Hours Medical Centre on Friday.
“Google suggested it was busiest from when it opened 5.30pm to 7pm, so I went down at 7pm, and there was a sign up saying they weren’t taking any more patients today.”
Lower Hutt After-Hours Medical Centre was the only walk-in clinic for a population of more than 100,000 people.
Manager Mark O’Connor said they treated about 45 patients a night on average, but there were times they had to turn people away.
“Especially coming into this time of year with winter, we’re just overloaded. We can have 20 or 30 people queuing up at the door at 5.30pm and we’ll have three, even four, doctors on at times. But we just can’t see everyone.”
ESR data showed hospitalisations for severe respiratory infections jumped more than 50% in the week to June 1, although the rate remained about the same as last year.
Calls to Healthline for influenza-like illnesses increased but were lower than at the same time last year.
There were five reported outbreaks of respiratory illness: three in aged-care facilities in Nelson-Marlborough, Capital and Coast and Bay of Plenty, and two in early childhood centres, both in the Wellington region.
Hospitalisations for severe respiratory infections are up 50% in Auckland. Photo / Jason Dorday
“Because of some patients not being able to get into their doctor during the day, we’re seeing a lot more than just the usual winter-type thing. We’re seeing a lot more mental health and other injuries.”
The clinic was moving to larger premises at the end of next month and had funding to extend its hours from the end of the year.
Health NZ national chief medical officer Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard said patients who could not get in to see their GPs – or could not enrol with a GP at all – often resorted to hospital emergency departments (EDs).
“We know there is a direct correlation between pressure on EDs and primary care services that are struggling. But EDs are not set up in the same way – it’s not there to deal with respiratory illnesses, the more basic but high-volume illnesses that general practice is so well set up for, so that is a challenge.”
Health NZ was prepared for the inevitable winter surge – lining up extra staff, “optimising” beds and running vaccination campaigns, she said.
“That’s similar to last year, we would really love it to be higher. The challenge is there are some people who don’t have confidence in vaccination or find it difficult to access healthcare. And for those people we are really trying to do more in terms of outreach, working with community providers.”
ESR Wastewater Surveillance showed Covid infections were on the rise again – up 75% in a week (between May 18 and 25), well before reported cases.
South Auckland GP Allan Moffitt told First Up current variants were “not as virulent”, but Covid was still dangerous for people with low immunity and flu could also be deadly.
“I’ve actually had several patients end up in hospital with influenza, so it’s not a nice bug to have – it’s not just the common cold.”
