# 991
No, it isn't avian flu. Just a bad winter flu season. But authorities in New Zealand are implementing their pandemic plan just the same.
Hospitals raise flu alert level
19/07/2007 15:00:02
The pressure from winter ailments is starting to show at Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals, which have today elevated their alert status to 'Code Red' - the point at which the hospitals are required to activate their pandemic response plans.
Both hospitals still have beds available, but do not have enough staff to care for any more patients unless they are urgent cases. The situation is made worse by around 20 nurses being off work, mostly because of illness. Capital and Coast DHB is also issuing a plea for qualified nurses to step forward and help.
Dr Robyn Toomath from Wellington Hospital says they can still cope with urgent cases like people with chest pain, shortness of breath and trauma. However, less urgent cases will have to wait longer than usual. Elective surgery is also being postponed.
There are four levels of alert covering an influenza pandemic. The lowest is Code White, which is primarily for information and advice and is used in pandemic preparedness. Code Yellow is a standby phase, when there are developments in the virus overseas or isolated cases in New Zealand.
Code Red is known as the response phase, and Code Green is a notification to stand down and move into the recovery phase.
A severe seasonal flu can quickly overwhelm hospital facilities. As a medic, I saw that happen in 1977, with the emergence of the A Victoria strain. Hospitals were filled to capacity, ER's were overrun, a great many staff were out sick, and ambulances were constantly being diverted to different hospitals because of the over crowding.
A glimpse, albeit a mild one, of what we would see during a real pandemic.
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