Number of influenza-associated deaths in Indiana reported for 2014-15 so far: 66
Full Capacity alerts for IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital
level one: 270-275 patients
level two: 280-285 patients
source: Indiana State Department of Health Weekly Influenza Report, Ball Memorial Hospital
As the number of Indiana influenza diagnoses increase, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital struggles to keep up.
In recent weeks, the hospital reached full capacity on various days due to the epidemic.
As Ball Memorial focuses on influenza, other normal operations, such as elective surgeries, have been limited.
Jeff Bird, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, said Ball Memorial's overflow is due to the lack of enough employees.
“Our physical structure could have many more beds for people, but we only have so many personnel to take care of our patients,” Bird said.
Many people seek treatment for flu symptoms, but end up testing negative for the virus and positive for Influenza-like respiratory infections instead, Bird said.
Respiratory infections are among the prevalent illnesses causing the hospital to reach full capacity. The hospital has two different full capacity alerts -- level one at around 270-275 patients and level two at around 280 or 285 patients.
Bird said Indiana has been hit harder by the flu this year than a lot of other states, but Ball Memorial hasn’t had it the worst.
“We have had no deaths directly attributed to the flu, but we have had many nationally and many in Indiana,” Bird said.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health’s website, Indiana has had a total of 66 influenza-associated deaths during the 2014-15 season. That’s 65 more than this time last year.
Deidre Dorman, Medical Director of The Ball State University Health Center, said the higher number of people suffering from the virus can be attributed to this year’s flu vaccine.
“It is true that the current flu vaccine is not well matched for the current circulating strains of influenza and therefore the CDC is expecting higher numbers of cases of influenza this year,” Dorman said.
Bird said it can be difficult to create the perfect flu vaccine.
“They got some of it right, but the flu virus itself mutated and changed over time and made the vaccine less effective,” Bird said. “It changes every year, so part of it is kind of a guessing game on the part of the people who make the vaccine.”
Dorman said the Health Center hasn’t seen a growing number of flu patients yet, unlike Ball Memorial.
“We started seeing flu patients during the first two weeks of December, but with the timing of Christmas break, we really haven’t seen a huge influx in the number of our patients,” said Dorman. “When I look back at last year’s information from the ISDOH, there was a second spike in flu patients around week 3 and so there is the possibility that we will notice more flu patients in the next few weeks.”
Both Ball Memorial and the Health Center recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid catching the virus.
“The ways to prevent the spread of influenza are the same as every year – perform good hand washing, cover your mouth when you cough,” Dorman said.
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