Dr. David Allison, Eastern Health's medical officer of health, demonstrates the use of a protective medical mask at the new St. John's flu assessment clinic on Ropewalk Lane. The clinic was moved to provide more space after patients at the old site spiked from 66 to 163 per day in less than a week. - Photo by James McLeod/The Telegram

The health-care system was feeling the pressure from swine flu Wednesday as health authorities cut some non-essential services and shifted resources to cope.

In St. John's, Eastern Health's flu assessment clinic had to be moved after patients nearly tripled in the week since it was opened.

Meanwhile in Central Health and Labrador Grenfell, some elective surgeries were cancelled.

Western Health already cancelled all elective surgeries Monday.

Echocardiogram service at the James Paton Memorial Regional Hospital in Gander was also cancelled.

Julie Nicholas, chief operating officer for Labrador Grenfell Health, said they were running out of beds in St. Anthony because a patient with flu symptoms has to be completely isolated.

"If we have to isolate a patient and we only have a four-bed room available, then that patient is taking up the space of four beds," Nicholas said.

In the eastern region, no service cuts have been announced, but they could be coming soon.

"We already have significant staff illnesses," said Dr. David Allison, Eastern Health's medical officer of health.

"We haven't had to make any significant reductions in service, but it's now day-to-day based on availability of staff."

Health Minister Jerome Kennedy said the pandemic outbreak has taken a serious toll on the system.

"It's important to realize our public health officials are starting to get tired, also," said Kennedy. "A lot of them worked through the weekend."

In St. John's, health officials were forced to move its H1N1 assessment clinic from Major's Path to 112 Ropewalk Lane.

When it opened Oct. 30, the clinic saw 66 patients; by Tuesday, that number had spiked to 163 patients.

Allison said that most people are best served by simply staying home if they get the flu, but coming to the clinic is better than going to a hospital emergency room.

"Most people with influenza can recover quite well at home without seeing anybody or without taking any specific treatment," he said. "The kinds of people that should be coming are people who probably have some existing condition that puts them at risk for complications of influenza."

The clinic on Major's Path will be shut down today, and the staff moved to Ropewalk Lane. Eastern Health has also put out a call to doctors who can spare a few hours to help staff the new location.

"If they're here they're not doing other things, but if we don't do this, then it's far too busy in the emergency room," Allison said.

jmcleod@thetelegram.com