With cold and flu season in full swing, Dr. Danielle Campagne, chief of emergency medicine at UCSF, said the emergency room at Community Regional Medical Center is more impacted than during the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation at Clovis Community Hospital isn’t any better.

And so she asks people to go to urgent care, walk-in clinics, or their primary care doctor if possible.

“We’re seeing an unprecedented number come into our emergency departments here at the Community Health System, this is both the emergency department downtown in Fresno and also at Clovis,” Campagne said. Patients are having to wait in the hall in some cases.

Hospitals Dealing With RSV, Flu, and COVID

Campagne attributes the spike to the rise in respiratory viruses. Doctors are dealing with RSV in children, flu, COVID, and parainfluenza. Campagne said the volume of patients exceeds the COVID-19 pandemic, though the intensive care unit is not as stretched.

Physicians at Saint Agnes Medical Center face high patient volumes as well, mostly because of respiratory illnesses.

“We urge Valley residents to take charge of their health by being proactive and establishing a primary care provider before illness strikes,” said Casey Fares, marketing and communications director at Saint Agnes, in a statement. “Having a trusted physician is crucial for timely follow-up in the event of fever or respiratory symptoms.”

While Valley Children’s experienced a slight spike during the holidays, it has since leveled off and returned to normal numbers, said Zara Arboleda, chief communications officer with the Madera hospital.

Visalia Hospital: ER Busy but Normal for the Season

Kaweah Health said the increase at their emergency department was not outside what’s expected during flu season,

“At Kaweah Health, we have seen longer wait times in the ER recently which we anticipated due to flu and respiratory season,” said Keri Noeske, chief nursing officer at the Visalia hospital. “While the wait times are a bit longer than average, they’re not outside of what we typically experience this time of year.”

Hospitals encouraged people to stay home if they feel sick and be sure to wash hands.

“Right now with the crowding, the only thing we can do is say is, ‘if you don’t feel like you need the emergency department, use other resources, but if you need it, we’re here for you,'” Campagne said.