More Patients Treated For Flu-Like Symptoms

BROOKSVILLE - Ambulance drivers are spending more time jockeying through traffic this time of year thanks to a spike in flu patients who require emergency medical care.

Last week, up to 100 beds were occupied at Brooksville Regional Hospital, mostly because of sick patients suffering from high fevers and dehydration.

The hospital has 120 beds, so no patients have been diverted elsewhere, but February is typically one of the busiest months of the year for nurses and doctors.

"We've definitely reached our (peak) season," said Brooksville Regional spokesman Gino Patrizio.

Two of the area's major fire rescue departments have confirmed there has been an influx in medical calls in the last few days.

"There definitely has been an increase in our call load," said Assistant Chief Frank DeFrancesco, a Hernando County Fire Rescue spokesman. "It's possible there's been an increase in the number of patients with the flu."

The flu may not be the sole culprit for the recent boost in medical patients, according to Patrizio.

"It may not all be influenza, but we've had an outbreak of a flu-like bug," he said. "I suspect that's consistent throughout the community."

The emergency room at Brooksville Regional has accepted patients from nine weeks to 65 and older. Most of them have been treated for fever, vomiting, sinus infections, sore throat, coughing, dehydration, chronic pain and more.

Patrizio said no patient at Brooksville Regional has had to be turned away.

The hospitals at Brooksville and Spring Hill have a combined 224 hospital beds while Oak Hill Hospital has 204 beds.