Emergency rooms busy with falls due to ice

Freezing weather's return after a few days' thaw sent dozens to area emergency rooms Monday.

“It's fair to say we've had quite a few,” said Denice Connell, Mercy Iowa City spokeswoman. “A lot of wrist injuries, wrists and ankles from falls on the ice.”

About 30 people were treated at the emergency room at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, with about half the patients undergoing surgery for fractures, spokeswoman Karen Vandersanden said.

“Most of them (from) falls, a little more than half have been fractures with the patients being sent up to the OR,” said Vandersanden.

Most of the injuries were to the lower extremities and elbow, according to Vandersanden.

As of 3 p.m. today, police have handled 40 accidents in the city, but none resulted in serious injury, Sgt. Joe Clark said.

“We expect that number to climb during the evening commute,” he said. “We're hoping people slow down.”

Hospital emergency rooms also are treating a number of people who have fallen on the ice.