Mercy Hospital of Folsom seeing big uptick in influenza A, RSV

'Tis the season for flu and other illnesses. There's been a steady uptick recently of patients with influenza A and the respiratory illness known as RSV at Mercy Hospital of Folsom. Medical experts are urging the community to take steps to prevent the spread of the viruses which can cause people a lot of temporary misery. "Both of these viruses will give patients high fevers, and with that comes body aches, chills, sometimes headaches … you just don't feel well. It can be pretty uncomfortable," explains Katie Baker, ER medical director at Mercy Hospital of Folsom. The preventive steps are basic: Wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth if you cough, and the tough one many don't abide by: If you feel sick, stay home. Pediatric patients, from preschool to toddler age, are primarily being affected by RSV, but Baker said the illness is affecting elderly people in the community as well. It's the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, who are at risk of serious complications from the flu and RSV, which is why staying home if you're sick is strongly advised, so you don't expose vulnerable people to a virus that may cause them dangerous complications. Luckily, most people can manage symptoms at home, but Baker said they always welcome people to come to the hospital if they have concerns. "The good news, from a community health perspective, is that most patients, otherwise healthy adults (and children) are tolerating this well, with symptomatic management," said Baker. "Now, they feel terrible. You're exhausted, you're in bed and it's pretty rattling. And I think that's pretty startling to people, no matter how much you say it's flu season; but when it's you, you just want to feel better. And so we're always happy to assess patients, make sure they're stable and get them the best care." Baker said Tylenol and Ibuprofen work great for fever, but an important component to getting better is drinking lots of fluids and simply getting rest. In anticipation of the rise of influenza and other viruses, Mercy Hospital of Folsom has been prepared for the seasonal influx of patients; however, because the community is growing, the hospital deals with larger numbers of patients each year. "Our job is to expect the worst and hope for the best," said Baker. "We are seeing more patients at Mercy Hospital of Folsom this year than we did last year, than we did the year before … but there's more people. But we really, really strive hard to make sure we are providing the best care for our community." Baker said if you're struggling to hydrate, aren't producing urine or have other concerns, by all means come into the hospital. But overall, for normal, healthy people, getting plenty of rest, fever management and fluids will help you put this year's flu season in the past.