The Omicron surge is continuing to put stress on hospitals in the Waterloo Wellington network.
Tuesday’s report from area hospitals shows only two of the 235 general medicine beds added to accommodate the influx of fifth wave patients are available and only six ICU beds are open in the entire network, which includes Cambridge Memorial Hospital, St. Mary’s General Hospital, Grand River General Hospital, Guelph General Hospital and the Wellington Health Care Alliance.
“Our hospitals continue to feel considerable pressures for acute care beds and ICU beds,” said Lee Fairclough in the report.
The president of St. Mary’s and regional lead for the hospital network said the same remains true from last Friday’s report; there aren’t enough beds for the number of patients who require care.
As staff scramble to accommodate more patients, Fairclough said, they’re still unable to predict when they will be able to ramp up services for non-urgent and non-emergent surgeries and procedures again.
And while staff impacts from COVID-19 are on a downward curve, with 312 staff members off yesterday compared to 388 last Friday, many have been working additional and longer shifts to provide the necessary care to patients, Fairclough said.
At Cambridge Memorial Hospital, 33 COVID-positive patients were in hospital as of Tuesday at 9 a.m., a drop of one from last week.
The number of unvaccinated patients in hospital continues to be the majority with 58 per cent of people in Waterloo-Wellington hospitals presenting that status. The number of fully vaccinated patients with at least two doses, represents 38 per cent of network hospital patients, while six per cent are partially vaccinated.
