Flu outbreak in SP makes waiting for medical care last up to 6 hours

The flu outbreak in the city of São Paulo generated queues of up to six hours for assistance in the municipal network this Wednesday (15). Second survey of leaf, AMAs (Ambulatory Medical Assistance) from all regions of the capital face above-average demand since last week.

The influenza A H3N2 virus, which circulates in the city of São Paulo, has caused an increase in visits to emergency rooms and admissions to public and private hospitals.

At AMA Boracea, in Barra Funda (downtown), the average number of visits was 140 per day, but since Saturday, because of the flu, it has exceeded two hundred, reaching 250 people. This Tuesday (14), patients left after 10 pm – the unit closes at 7 pm.

With the rain this Wednesday, many people gathered inside the unit, according to officials. The situation is in line with expert guidelines to keep aloof amid the flu and coronavirus outbreaks.

At AMA Sorocabana, in Vila Romana (western zone), the waiting list for medical care last Wednesday reached six hours. The surge in demand started a week ago, amid the growing flu outbreak.

In the southern zone, employees of the AMAs Jardim Miriam – Manoel Soares de Oliveira, in the region of Cidade Ademar, and Jardim Icaraí Quintana, in the region of Grajaú, reported a five-hour waiting list for assistance. At AMA Água Rasa, on the east side, people waited about four hours.

At the integrated AMA/UBS Lauzane Paulista, in the Mandaqui region (northern region), demand was also high this Wednesday, but lower than in other regions, with around two hours of waiting.

Another unit of the municipal network that saw demand grow is the AMA Complexo Prates, in Bom Retiro (downtown). On this Wednesday, according to an employee, there was a truce in demand from 15:00. The place, however, had a lot of search for health professionals during the morning.

Due to the long waiting time, many employees of the municipal network have advised the choice of 24-hour units. Another suggestion is that, if possible, the person should go to the AMA closest to their home early in the morning, rather than in the late afternoon.

Hospital Santa Marcelina, in the region of Itaquera (eastern zone), has also had five-hour waiting lists. Hospital Santa Casa, in Higienópolis, in turn, did not see the demand for medical care increase. Both attend through SUS.

Through a note, the Municipal Health Department explains that the length of service varies. “Each patient undergoes a risk assessment and the most serious cases are treated more quickly. All health units in the municipal network are prepared to deal with cases of respiratory symptoms.” The folder also asks that those who have flu symptoms initially look for Health Units (UBSs) to start the monitoring protocol.

Sought through its press office, Hospital Santa Marcelina did not respond until the publication of this text.

On Wednesday, the administration Ricardo Nunes (MDB) reported that the municipal network will start doing rapid tests to identify cases of Covid-19 in all patients with flu-like symptoms who seek the municipal network. According to the folder, testing will be by the antigen method.

In the first 15 days of December, 91,882 people were seen with flu-like symptoms, with 45,325 suspected cases of Covid-19, against a total of 111,949 patients in the entire month of November, with 56,220 of them suspected of having the new coronavirus.

The number of people with flu symptoms in the municipal network in the first half of December represents 82% of the records in the 30 days of November.