There has been a flu epidemic in the Netherlands for two weeks, many people are sick in bed at home with influenza. But it is also very busy in the hospital, sees pulmonologist Leon van den Toorn, among others. In addition to being a doctor at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, he is also chairman of the Dutch Association of Physicians for Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis and tells RTL News that various hospitals are doing everything they can to provide everyone with the right care.
‘Many worries in hospital’
“We have had a lot of concerns in recent weeks about the occupancy in the hospitals and whether everyone would be able to get a hospital bed. We are therefore looking at whether patients can go home earlier or whether planned care can be postponed. Everything is being done to make it under keep control.”
So far that has been successful, Van den Toorn emphasizes, but it is ‘remarkably busy’. “It’s about virus infections in general, so crowds due to colds, flu and corona. But what is remarkable is that some people who have a virus infection get pneumonia immediately afterwards. It seems that we are seeing that more than in other years.”
Peter van der Voort, IC boss of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), agrees. “We see an impressive amount of bacterial pneumonia as a complication on top of the flu. You always see that when there is a flu epidemic, but it is striking that this year it is exceptionally high.”
Van der Voort explains that the flu virus makes you more susceptible to bacteria. You then have a poorer immune system, so that certain bacteria see their chance to strike. And that can then lead to pneumonia. “Pneumonia is very often sickening, but in most cases you can recover from it with antibiotics. But a number of people do not get that bacteria under control themselves. Then you end up in the hospital, and sometimes in intensive care. can then get low blood pressure and other organs can stop. Then we speak of sepsis.”
Young patients died
And that is life-threatening. Van der Voort says that in principle this can happen to anyone. Of course, certain groups are more at risk, such as people with poor health, the elderly and people with a poor immune system. “But it is striking that relatively healthy young people are now also getting deadly pneumonia. Unfortunately, we have seen several of these patients die in recent weeks. That affects us all.”
The Netherlands in a flu epidemic
There has been a flu epidemic in the Netherlands since December 21. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) speaks of an epidemic when more than 58 out of 100,000 people go to their GP with complaints that are reminiscent of the flu and 10 percent of the samples examined contain the influenza virus.
According to Nivel, considerably more samples that GPs take from patients with complaints contain the flu virus. The latest figures date from December 28, when it was announced that 70 people per 100,000 Dutch people had reported to their GP with flu-like symptoms that week before.
Tomorrow the RIVM will publish new flu figures.
The fact that relatively young, healthy people also die has also come to the attention of chairman of the pulmonologist association Van der Toorn: “I also heard that noise this morning. We are keeping a close eye on that, are investigating whether this is happening nationwide, and if so, how that will come.”
‘Pick the bell on time’
In any case, cause for alert, both call for. So what should you pay attention to? “The flu should pass after a few days. But if the fever persists, or if it gets better at first but your health suddenly deteriorates again, go to the doctor,” says Van der Voort. “If you are too late with antibiotics, the inflammatory reaction has spread to such an extent that it can no longer be remedied properly. Then doctors are also behind the facts, and the care is more complex.”
Van der Toorn adds that especially during this period, when people have recently gathered in large groups during Christmas and New Year’s Eve, we have to be extra careful. “Run the alarm on time in case of persistent illness, but also only extra on the coming days if you are in large groups. Keep your distance, ventilate and wash your hands.”