COVID infections driving up Winnipeg emergency wait times, WRHA CEO says – CBC
Comments contradict PC government claims COVID hospitalizations are not impacting patient care.
Apr 25, 2022
A rise in COVID-19 infections in Winnipeg is driving up wait times for hospital emergency and urgent care departments, says the head of Winnipeg Health Region — contradicting government claims infected patients are not impacting care.
In an email sent to Winnipeg Regional Health Authority employees on Friday, WRHA president and CEO Mike Nader said Winnipeg hospitals are seeing a “higher than normal” spike in COVID admissions as well as sicker patients than earlier in the pandemic.
This is driving up wait times at emergency departments and urgent care wards to what he described as “concerning” levels, particularly for patients who are less sick, he said in the email.
Patients are also staying longer in emergency and urgent-care departments while they are waiting for COVID tests, he added.
Sick time for hospital staff is now at historic highs, he said, partly because some staff are off work with symptoms or confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/covid-infections-emergency-wait-times-wrha-1.6430444
