FLU-LIKE ILLNESSES REPORTED IN REGION

Hospitals in Cape Girardeau are turning to extra staff to help patients who have poured into emergency rooms over the past few days complaining of coughs, fevers, sore throats and other influenza-type symptoms.

Emergency rooms at Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center are being overrun by patients along with offices at Intermediate Health Care in Cape Girardeau.

More than 600 confirmed cases of influenza have been diagnosed in Missouri, said Liz Kliethermes of the Missouri Department of Health's section of communicable diseases control.

Dr. Carolyn Bridges of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions said it is too early to say for sure, but the flu season looks like it could peak in January, a month earlier than a year ago.

Nineteen states, including Missouri and Illinois, have reported widespread or regional flu activity since mid December. About 3 to 6 percent of doctor visits in Missouri and Illinois were related to flu-like symptoms.

In Cape Girardeau, illness seems to have hit the hardest since Saturday, resulting in some long waits for patients.

"We're seeing 30 percent more patients in the emergency room here," said Pat Pennington, nurse manager of Southeast Missouri Hospital's emergency services. The hospital reported more than 140 patients went through the emergency room Sunday, 140 Monday and 130 Tuesday.

Pennington said despite extra staff "we're still crowded." Many of the ailments are respiratory," she said.

Pennington and Marcia Abernathy, director of St. Francis Medical Center's emergency room, said some of the cases have been diagnosed as influenza.

"We've averaged about 160 patients through the emergency room the past few days," said Abernathy. "A lot are treated and released."

"When all the figures are in, this might be rated as an epidemic area," said Abernathy.

At least a half dozen cases of influenza have been reported at Intermediate Health Care Center.

"We've been busy here since Sunday," said Dr. Rob Hicks of the center. "We had about 80 walk-ins that day, and we've had more than 100 Monday and Tuesday."

He said many of the patients had influenza-type symptoms: runny noses, fevers and stomach reactions.

Members of the medical field say common-cold symptoms are different from influenza symptoms. People with colds have runny noses, watery eyes, scratchy throat, a degree or two increase in temperatures. Influenza symptoms are more pronounced: fever up to 104 to 105 degrees, headaches and muscle aches.

All agreed a flu shot is the most important preventative.

"The flu shot is a smart idea for everyone," said Hicks. "During a 1995 study, healthy working adults had fewer missed days of work than those who didn't take the flu shot."

Areas reporting concentrated outbreaks of influenza are Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.