‘Upswing’ in respiratory viruses in Winnipeg’s childrens ER [Video]

Cases of respiratory viruses are starting to climb in Winnipeg’s children’s emergency room.

Dr. Karen Gripp, the medical director of HSC Children’s Hospital emergency department, said RSV and influenza are the two viruses primarily hitting children right now. Shared Health confirmed that from Dec. 20 to 30, there were 27 RSV-related admissions to the children’s hospital from all regions of the province.

“What we’re seeing is the upswing,” Gripp told CTV News. “We certainly are far away from the peak. We’re just beginning our climb.”

She said compared to the past two years, the numbers are actually a bit lower. As of Friday, she said there are around 160 patient visits, though not all of those visits were for respiratory viruses.

To prepare for the increase, Gripp said the children’s hospital has opened an eight-bed contingency ward and increased the ICU’s baseline bed capacity. It also has the ability to …