Summary

• In week 15 of 2017 (April 10–16), emergency department visits and hospitalizations for all causes were slightly lower among children aged 2–14 (down 11% and 9%, respectively) and remained stable in other age groups.

• Among seasonal conditions, adults saw a slight increase in visits for fever alone (+5%), ENT conditions (+8.5%), and bronchitis (+7%). Among children, visits for these conditions were stable or declining. Visits for asthma and allergies are stable or declining, with the exception of an increase in visits for allergies among children under 2 years of age (+18%). For all of these conditions, the observed levels are comparable to previous years. Finally, there has been an increase in visits for gastroenteritis among adults (+13%). However, the proportion of activity related to this condition for this age group remains lower than in previous years.

• Among the most frequently seen conditions in emergency departments, there has been an increase over the past 2 to 3 weeks in visits for conjunctivitis (+17%), skin problems (+13%), and abdominal pain (+11%) among children under 2 years of age. Among adults, with the exception of an increase in urinary tract infections (+8.5%), the most common diagnoses are generally stable or declining.