M Health Fairview said its hospitals are crowding due to what it called a “quad-demic,” an influx of influenza, RSV, COVID-19 and norovirus cases.
MINNEAPOLIS — Editor’s note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 in December 2024.
Hospitals in Minnesota — and all over the country — are feeling the squeeze as their emergency departments struggle to handle a recent overflow of patients.
M Health Fairview said their hospitals are crowding due to what it called a “quad-demic,” an influx of influenza, RSV, COVID-19 and norovirus cases.
“Our volumes are up 30% plus over comparable flu seasons,” said M Health Fairview Southdale Emergency Physician Dr. Brandon Trigger. “We’re trying to be creative, trying to see patients in hallways, trying to see patients in our alternative care areas.”
A statement from M Health Fairview said the quadruple punch is causing longer wait times and shortages for resources needed to treat more life-threatening emergencies, like heart attacks and strokes.
The hospital system also cited data collected by the Minnesota Department of Health, which showed 2024 with the highest number of respiratory illness hospitalizations in more than five years.
To help relieve pressure on Minnesota’s hospital systems, doctors ask the following:
- Only visit the emergency room for true emergencies, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe injuries, or sudden neurological changes.
- Contact your primary care provider for non-urgent medical concerns, visit an urgent care clinic, or use telehealth services.
- Get vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 to reduce the severity and spread of these viruses.
- Wash your hands frequently, stay home if you’re feeling sick and wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, from Dec. 28 to Jan. 4, Minnesota saw 722 flu hospitalizations, the most ever in a week since the department started tracking this data in 2008.
“We’re hoping this is as high as it gets and then it starts to fade pretty quickly in the next couple of weeks, but it’s impossible to say right now,” said Minnesota Department of Health Influenza Surveillance Supervisor Melissa McMahon.
McMahon added that flu shot rates are way down this year, which could be fueling the spike.
“We’re just under 30% for vaccination rates for people in Minnesota of all ages. Prior to the pandemic, we usually saw 50% to 60% vaccination rates,” McMahon said.
