Influenza-like illness-related emergency department visits: Christmas and New Year holiday peaks and relationships with laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus detections, Edmonton, Alberta, 2004–2014

Abstract

Background: Emergency department (ED) visit volumes can be especially high during the Christmas–New Year holidays, a period occurring during the influenza season in Canada. Methods: Using daily data, we examined the relationship between ED visits for the chief complaint “cough” (for Edmonton, Alberta residents) and laboratory detections for influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (for Edmonton and surrounding areas), lagged 0–5 days ahead, for non-pandemic years (2004–2008 and 2010–2014) using multivariable linear regression adjusting for temporal variables. We defined these cough-related visits as influenza-like illness (ILI)-related ED visits and, for 2004–2014, compared Christmas–New Year holiday (December 24–January 3) and non-holiday volumes during the influenza season (October–April). Results: Adjusting for temporal variables, ILI-related ED visits were significantly associated with laboratory detections for influenza A and RSV. During non-pandemic years, the highest peak in ILI-related visit volumes always occurred during the holidays. The median number of holiday ILI-related visits/day (42.5) was almost twice the non-holiday median (24) and was even higher in 2012–2013 (80) and 2013–2014 (86). Holiday ILI-related ED visit volumes/100 000 population ranged from 56.0 (2010–2011) to 117.4 (2012–2013). In contrast, lower visit volumes occurred during the holidays of pandemic-affected years (2008–2010). Conclusions: During non-pandemic years, ILI-related ED visit volumes were associated with variations in detections for influenza A and RSV and always peaked during the Christmas–New Year holidays. This predictability should be used to prepare for, and possibly prevent, this increase in healthcare use; however, interventions beyond disease prevention strategies are likely needed.