B.C. hospitals over capacity with Swine Flu patients

B.C. hospitals over capacity with Swine Flu patients

Article:

VANCOUVER, B.C. – B.C.’s major hospitals are overflowing with Swine Flu patients and a number are operating at or over capacity, Vancouverite has learnt.

42 patients in B.C. are on ventilators and intensive care units are under severe pressure at a number of key hospitals.

Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, Richmond Hospital, Kelowna General Hospital and Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops are operating at capacity, health ministry spokeswoman Michelle Stewart confirmed Sunday morning.

“Generally speaking our Emergency Departments and Intensive Care Units continue to be under significant pressure,” she said.

“Across the province we currently have 42 patients in our Intensive Care Units (ICUS) on ventilators (confirmed and suspected H1N1),” she said in reply to a question submitted to the ministry of health.

“ICUs at major sites in the lower mainland remain busy,” she said.

“Pressure points at Royal Columbian Hospital and Richmond Hospital, both of which are operating overcapacity,” said Steward.

“Interior Health indicates overall improvement in ICU capacity, however Kelowna General Hospital and Royal Inland are at capacity,” she said.

“Emergency Departments remain busy across the province; Northern Health (Prince George) experiencing a significant increase in ED volumes since Nov. 10th. A surge area has been opened to address additional volume,” added Stewart.

Five elective surgeries have been postponed in the Fraser Health Authority and Northern Health Authority areas. Fraser Health Authority serves the largest population base in B.C. with approximately 1.5 million residents.

Among sugeries postponed are two open heart surgeries in Fraser Health and a cataract surgery in Northern Health.

Across Canada, hundreds of people have been admitted to hospital suffering from severe Swine Flu complications. The government of Canada reported over 1,300 admissions between Nov. 1 and Nov. 7.

Hundreds more have been admitted since then.

Thank you Fran, for linking this!