Norovrius, other viral infections are putting a strain on Chicago area health care systems
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The highly-contagious norovirus has been spreading quickly across the country and in particular in the Chicago area—and hospitals are feeling the strain with that and other viruses going around.
Local health systems are changing some of their patients' precautions as they deal with coinciding spikes. In addition to norovirus, regular winter respiratory illnesses like RSV and flu are spiking, as is COVID-19.
The viral infection surges are putting such on a strain on health systems that Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge had to stop accepting ambulances earlier this week.
Patient numbers got so high at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital on Tuesday of this week that for two hours, starting just after 7 p.m., the ER went on full bypass—no longer accepting ambulance patients.
"We want people to come to the emergency room when their health may be in jeopardy," said Dr. Rob Citronberg, executive medical director of infectious disease and infection prevention for Advocate Healthcare, "and many times, it's the people at the extremes of life, the very old and the very young, and also those who are sick and chronically ill."
But Advocate is not the only system to see changes. Franciscan Health staff said their five hospitals in the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana started visitor restrictions within the last few weeks.
"I personally don't remember seeing anything that has been this bad," said Dr. Erica Kaufman West, infectious disease physician for Franciscan Health in Dyer, Indiana, "not in recent memory, at least."
Dr. Kaufman West said Franciscan is seeing a lot of norovirus cases.
Cook County Public Health Department data show norovirus spiking at the highest level by far in more than two years.
"I would venture to say that emergency departments across the area, and probably across the country, are very full right now," Dr. Kaufman West said.
To keep ERs open, the doctors who talked with CBS News Chicago said anyone who is feeling sick should start by going to a primary care physician. A UChicago Medicine AdventHealth clinic in west suburban Westchester is trying to keep people out of the ER.
"Doctors are seeing extra patients if they are able to; trying to triage calls and make sure, you know, patients come to the clinic versus the emergency room based on what their needs are," said Dr. Damien Olejarski, a primary care physician at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, who works at the Westchester clinic.
Doctors also emphasized the need for preventative precautions—in particular focusing on hygiene. They noted that soap and water works on norovirus, while hand sanitizer does not.
"We've trained everyone to use alcohol hand sanitizer, which works for most everything, but doesn't work particularly well for norovirus," said Dr. Citronberg.
So when will these spikes be over?
Based on prior experience, the doctors said they expect norovirus will start to peak pretty soon and go away.
But influenza, COVID, and other respiratory illnesses can last into April.
