Summary

In Week 5 (January 28–February 3, 2019), emergency department visits rose slightly among children under 15 (+5%, or 5,116 visits) and remained stable among adults. Hospitalizations following emergency department visits remained stable across all age groups.

Visits for influenza/flu-like illness rose by 35% among children (an increase of 1,628 visits—the third most common condition for the week) and by 52% among adults (an increase of 2,058 visits). These visits accounted for 3.9% of total coded activity. Hospitalizations following visits are also on the rise across all age groups. All metropolitan regions are experiencing an epidemic in week 5.

Other seasonal respiratory conditions are on the rise, though to a more moderate extent, for: - acute bronchitis (+14%, or +363 visits), pneumonia (+10%, or +506 visits) and asthma attacks (+10%) among adults, - dyspnea/respiratory failure (+12.4%) among those aged 75 and older, - ENT conditions across all age groups (+7%, or +1,168 visits).

There was also an increase in visits for isolated fever across all age groups (+17%), with activity levels for these two indicators exceeding those of the previous two years.