Waterloo Region looks to London as hospitalizations spike
While most of Ontario is heading into Step 2 of reopening soon the Waterloo Region is seeing a delay due to a spike of new COVID-19 infections, and the trickle down effect has brought more patients to London hospitals.
The president of St. Mary’s General Hospital, Lee Fairclough, told CTV Kitchener Thursday that more patients are coming in critically ill and that some will be transferred London.
“Hospitals are starting to send patients outside of our region due to a lack of capacity locally and this is a precarious position. We want to protect our health system.”
She adds, "We’re seeing younger and younger cases in the community, particularly the twenty to 39 year olds. But we’re also seeing younger people being admitted to hospital."
The London Health Sciences Centre, (LHSC) confirms they have received fewer than five patients, and do not anticipate further transfers.
But in an email statement officials say, "...we are ready to help our health-care partners as needed."
"From a capacity perspective we can certainly handle whatever we would anticipate the province and Waterloo send us," says LHSC's Dr. Adam Dukelow.
London has been taking patients from out of region throughout the pandemic, especially in the third wave.
During April and May LHSC routinely had critical patients from out of region, including as far as Manitoba.
The hospital system based in London is the largest in southwestern Ontario.
During June the number of out-of-region patients in acute and critical care have been fewer than five for both.
"Our hospitals are part of one health system but all health care sectors... need to work together to respond and as we work together we’ve will actually create a better health system for the future," says Dr. Dukelow.
As of Thursday the Waterloo Region had 504 active cases and accounted for 23 per cent of the province’s COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The region currently has 17 active outbreaks.
Just an hour down the road it is a different story in London-Middlesex which had 55 active cases as of Thursday.
- With files from CTV Kitchener's Max Martin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.