Ambulance Services Under Flu Pressure | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 7, 2026 · 1m

Ambulance services are still reeling from record-breaking call volumes that outpaced even COVID or New Year’s Eve, forcing a major incident declaration as patients waited hours for care. Though numbers are dipping slightly, crews remain stretched thin—thanks to a stubborn flu season that’s lingered into spring and hit kids especially hard. To cope, back-office staff with proper training have been deployed to the front lines, while sick personnel add to the pressure. Gains in hospital drop-offs and even two-patient handling (when safe) offer some relief, but hospitalizations keep climbing. The…