Back to Hawaii News index

Posted: Monday, May 29th, 2006 5:00 AM HST

Hawaii hospitals would be overwhelmed in a flu pandemic

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ Hawaii medical authorities say hospitals would likely be overwhelmed if there is a human influenza pandemic. Patty Dukes is chief of Emergency Medical Services. She says at first, patients would trickle in to hospitals. Then the numbers would double, then triple, quadruple. Eventually, a pandemic could sicken 25 percent to 30 percent or more of Oahu's 900,000 residents and visitors. Dukes says paramedics and the ambulance crews will likely become overwhelmed by treating severe patients and would have to hold off on delivery the sick to hospitals. She expects fire crews, military personnel, and the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations to treat patients in makeshift treatment centers. (Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved)