News gives little info on what exacly is going on in Pittsburgh Hospitals.

[oramar]

There are some vague references about ERs being busy on news. They do not address whether these ERs are seeing routine cases or if a significant number of young people are being admitted, perhaps even intubated or ECMO. Also, not hearing about whether a lot of expectant moms are having problems. I suspect that "busy" word covers a LOT. The deaths they are reporting happened last month. Again just guessing, that some bad things are happening right now during these last days of October.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I'm not sure why you are guessing that "bad things are happening." Here's a link to the state health dept. statistics -- note that only 4% of individuals with H1N1 have been hospitalized.

http://www.h1n1inpa.com/newsroom/pa-situation-update/

The two ERs I work in are indeed "busy." But even in individuals we have dx with influenza, none so far have been sick enough to be admitted, and I would say that the vast majority were either patients who tend to come to the ER with minor s/s anyway, or under the impression that Tamiflu is somehow a magic bullet. Most patients who present to the ER with flu-like symptoms are not swabbed - per the CDC guidelines for diagnostic testing.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/diagnostic_tests.htm

[CASTLEGATES]

The flu 9 years ago was worse. Hospitals are always busy during a hard flu season; it's the media feeding itself again.

The job shortage and reluctance of hospitals to staff up do cause busy problems, though.

[oramar]

http://KDKA.com/health/H1N1.flu.death.2.1316219.html

[oramar]

The flu 9 years ago was worse. Hospitals are always busy during a hard flu season; it's the media feeding itself again.

The job shortage and reluctance of hospitals to staff up do cause busy problems, though.

I remember that flu very well 9 years ago. It hit the usual elderly and frail group and made hospitals busy through out. This is hitting the young much harder and making peds areas and ICUs very busy.