Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Emergency rooms in Antwerp and Mol saw a rise in patients due to icy roads, with ZNA treating 30 in 3 hours and Heilig Hart Mol 8 extra patients, says Marc Naert.
As VRT News reported, emergency rooms across the region were busy this morning, Jan 5, 2025, as icy roads and sidewalks caused accidents during the morning rush. The Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) had warned residents overnight about slippery conditions, but many commuters faced the hazards anyway.
People fell on the ice while walking or cycling. Some suffered bruises, while others had fractures. The most common injuries were to the wrists, hips, and collarbones. Hospital staff said these are typical injuries when people fall on hard surfaces.
What is causing Antwerp and Mol hospitals to see dozens more patients?
At Ziekenhuisnetwerk Antwerpen (ZNA), the 5 emergency departments treated about 30 patients in just 3 hours. The busiest department saw 20% more patients than usual. Staff said part of the increase is normal because the first day after a holiday is always busier.
Authorities reminded people to be careful in icy conditions. Even short walks or rides can be dangerous. Commuters are advised to wear proper shoes, take extra care, and adjust travel plans if possible.
The first patient of the winter weather arrived at Heilig Hart Hospital in Mol yesterday morning, Jan 4, 2025. On a normal Sunday, the hospital sees about 80 patients. Yesterday, Jan 4, 2025, an additional 8 people came in after slipping on icy roads.
“That’s about 10% more than normal. And you have to consider that many people are postponing a trip to the emergency room simply because it’s slippery,”
says medical director Marc Naert.
Officials mentioned that every year, when the roads are icy, the emergency department sees a rise in visits for minor fractures, sprains, and injuries to the hands and wrists. Most of these injuries happen when people fall while walking or cycling. In Mol, the small roads were still difficult to access early in the morning. The Kempen region is known to be colder than other areas.
Other hospitals in the Kempen region, however, did not report unusually high patient numbers. In Turnhout, hospitals treated only a few people who had fallen. The same pattern was seen in the Mechelen and Klein-Brabant regions. Although the overall flow was normal, staff reminded people to be careful on icy roads.
In January 2025, hospitals in the Antwerp region treated multiple patients who had slipped on the icy street. At the UZ Brussel hospital in Edegem, the emergency department saw approximately 40 patients within just a few hours who sustained minor injuries such as sprained wrists and broken legs due to slipping on the ice while walking or riding their bicycles.
There were also increased volumes of patients seen for minor injuries at numerous surrounding healthcare facilities, such as AZ Herentals.
In addition to Belgium, other countries such as the Netherlands also witnessed an increase in patients being treated for slipping on ice. The hospitals in Groningen, Netherlands, treated at least 25 patients one morning in early January 2025. In late December 2017, there was a 50% increase in Emergency Department visits in Leeds, England, for individuals who had also slipped and fallen on icy pavements.
