Flu season's early start packs Calgary emergency rooms

An earlier than usual start to the flu season in Calgary has the city's emergency rooms crowded.

Several other respiratory and gastrointestinal bugs are also making their way through the community, including norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, says AHS medical officer of health Dr. Judy MacDonald.

"It definitely is busy. But I think people need to be aware of what their options are when they're feeling sick," she said.

"So, not necessarily just always going to the emergency department calling Health Link, calling your physician's office if you're feeling unwell and getting some advice that way."

Alberta Health Services says four people are now confirmed to have died from the flu in the province twoin the Calgary zone, one in the south, and one in Central Alberta.

So far this season, 259 people have been admitted to hospital with confirmed cases of influenza,AHS says.

Alberta Children's Hospital was particularly busy earlier this week, with about 10 per cent more children in the ER than officials normally expect at this time of year.

The ER at the children's hospital normally sees about 220 to 230 patients per day.

Bugs hitting children and older people

MacDonald says a few schools and long-term care facilities in Calgaryhave had outbreaks of the flu and other bugs.

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"I feel that this year we were definitely hit just a tad bit harder than usual," said SharonEvans-Borrice, who runs the Play Community Child Development Centre in northwest Calgary.

"For about one week we were experiencing about five or six children a day that were basically being sent home because of the tummy bug."

MacDonaldis urging Calgarians who haven't done so already to get their flu shots.

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