Memphis Children's Hospital Erects Tent To Handle Influx of Patients With Swine Flu

From:   The Associated Press

10:43 AM CDT, September 12, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Medical officials at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center have erected a tent to handle a growing influx of patients stricken with swine flu.

The 2,400-square-foot tent set up Friday night will allow nurses will conduct health screenings on flu patients to determine if they're in need of hospital care.

Dr. William May, chief medical officer at the hospital, told The Commercial Appeal that many people are coming into the emergency room without emergency conditions.

The hospital's emergency room, which will be replaced by one twice as big under new renovations, normally receives about 160-180 children a day. But on some days, the patient load has exceeded 350 — at least half of them being children with flu-like symptoms.

___

Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com