COVID-19 patients in B.C.’s north being flown elsewhere for care as local hospitals hit limits – CBC

Patients being transported to ICUs in Vancouver, Nanaimo with north ‘overstretched’

Sep 21, 2021

Critically ill COVID-19 patients in B.C.’s north are being flown as far away as Vancouver Island to receive care because local hospitals no longer have enough capacity, provincial officials said Tuesday.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said a total of 12 patients have been transferred to Prince George, Vancouver and Nanaimo because the Northern Health region is badly “overstretched” by a high rate of positive cases.

“Clearly, this is less than ideal. It will be difficult for those patients and their families and their loved ones, but these are necessary steps,” Dix said during a news conference.

“We expect the pressure on the critical care in the north until vaccination rates go up and cases in hospitals go down.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/covid-19-update-sept-21-1.6184078