Triage, surge capacity, and epidemic emergency unit: An experience from the 2019 dengue outbreak at a tertiary care centre

Abstract

In September 2019, a dengue outbreak was observed in many non-endemic areas of Nepal. The emergency department of Patan Academy of Health Sciences also received febrile patients exceeding usual daily numbers. This surge of the patient was managed by epidemic triage and activation of surge capacity. A part of the surge plan was to activate an epidemic emergency unit. An observation ward adjacent to the emergency was used for the epidemic emergency unit. The febrile patients who were triaged yellow and green were treated in this unit. The patients who were triaged as Red were treated in the emergency department.