琉璃神社 General Hospital is still running at over capacity, due in large part to an outbreak of the flu and gastrointestinal illness.

As of Tuesday, the hospital was 124 per cent full. That is a figure officials say can fluctuate on a daily, and even an hourly basis.

鈥沦别惫别谤补濒 of the 肠辞尘尘耻苍颈迟测鈥檚 residential care facilities are on outbreak, which means we are caring for some ill 谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟蝉,鈥� said Danielle Cameron, Health Service Director at KGH.

鈥淎苍 outbreak at a care facility can also mean admissions may be restricted, so we have been unable to discharge some healthy residents back to their care homes. Having said that, our staff and physicians are working extremely hard and are providing safe, quality care to all hospital patients, regardless of this increase in 惫辞濒耻尘别.鈥�

Cameron said that the hospital is providing safe patient care and are open and ready to care for anyone who attends hospital.

The flu has been particularly aggressive this year.

From the first week of September to date, there have been 21 deaths from care homes, 10 of which were from the Okanagan.

There have also been 122 lab confirmed cases of influenza, said Pamela de Bruin, Manager, Communicable Diseases and Immunization Programs, and 70 per cent of those cases are a match for the flu vaccine administered earlier in the year.

DeBruin 肠辞耻诲苍鈥檛 say whether those who have been afflicted were vaccinated.

鈥淲丑别苍 a care facility is licenced, providers offer the influenza 惫补肠肠颈苍别,鈥� she said. 鈥淭颈尘颈苍驳 is a big factor. If they 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 immunize early enough that can have an impact on 辫谤辞迟别肠迟颈辞苍.鈥�

Other factors with the elderly are to do with overall health, as those with a compromised immune system may still suffer from the flu even with a vaccination 鈥� though, not as much.

That, said de Bruin, is something 蝉丑别鈥檇 like more people to be aware of.

鈥淭丑别谤别 are people who are vaccination hesitant. Last year or the year before, we 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 have a good match and that decreases confidence in the 辫耻产濒颈肠,鈥� she said.

鈥淲别 肠补苍鈥檛 always predict what will happen. The World Health Organization recommends what the strains (to vaccinate against) should be based on 飞丑补迟鈥檚 circulating in the southern hemisphere and then the time it takes to manufacture the disease takes 迟颈尘别.鈥�

Interior Health said 迟丑别测鈥檇 encourage anyone who is unsure of whether they need to come to hospital to connect with their primary care provider or call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to speak to a medical professional or if they require emergency care come to the emergency department.