SYLVANIA, Ohio — Local hospitals have seen an uptick in patients these past couple months, but it's not due to COVID-19.
"Truthfully, in the past six months or so our COVID numbers have stayed relatively steady," said Dr. Brian Kaminski, Medical Director at ProMedica Flower Hospital Emergency. "We're far from our peak in terms of hospitalization and illness. So that's really a good thing."
The emergency department at ProMedica tells WTOL 11 it has been seeing normal emergency cases, such as traumas and heart conditions, but that its been having an increase in Flu and RSV cases. That increase has forced hospitals to divert ambulances away from emergency rooms because of the patient overload, on top of the work shortage.
Because of the increase in patients, hospitals asks that if you don't have a serious health issue, but need to be seen by a doctor immediately, go to a nearby urgent care instead of the emergency room to help alleviate that influx hospital rooms are seeing.
WTOL 11 also spoke to local doctors offices. They too report an increase of patients, not due to COVID-19. Dr. Tanya Baldwin, a family practice physician, says her office has an increase in Flu cases, sinus infections and patients suffering from bronchitis.
"When the seasons first started to change, oh the allergies were horrible," said Dr. Baldwin. "You see all kinds of things that you wouldn't expect, but then it makes sense when you see the timing and the exposures."
Dr. Baldwin says the increase could be due to the holiday season, with family and friends gathering, making it easier for viruses to spread.
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