Local hospitals remain near full capacity, ICUs at more than 80 per cent
Posted Jan 18, 2022 11:45:00 PM.
Hospitals within the Waterloo Wellington system continue to feel the pressure of the Omicron variant.
According to an update provided on Tuesday afternoon, acute care occupancy is reported between 92 and 98 per cent, with St. Mary's General Hospital moving up to 104 per cent.
The majority of patients seeking care at local hospitals are unvaccinated and quite sick. There has also been an increase in the net total of patients positive for COVID-19 in recent days.
The report indicates 166 COVID-positive patients within Waterloo Wellington hospitals, up from 151 on Friday.
ICU capacity at each hospital is more than 80 per cent, with St. Mary's reporting an increase to 81 per cent on Tuesday.
COVID continues to impact staffing at local hospitals as well, with more than 500 workers either testing positive for the virus or in isolation due to close contact.
However, on a positive note, that number has decreased from 570 last week to 509 this week. Hospitals are reporting staff illness has mostly been mild due to vaccination against the virus.
Staffing hospital beds remains a significant challenge, as the number of patients requiring care continues to outpace resources, according to Lee Fairclough, president, St. Mary's General Hospital and Waterloo Wellington hospital regional lead.
“You need only look in the faces of the staff and patients in our hospitals including those in stretchers lining our hallways, to understand the tremendous pressures we are facing,” said Fairclough in a release. “From this vantage point, we see that Omicron is serious and is not through with us yet.”
Fairclough thanked the community for getting vaccinated and limiting any unnecessary contacts.
An updated report shows Waterloo-Wellington hospitals continue to be near full capacity, with acute care occupancy ranging from 92 per cent to 98 per cent. At St. Mary's General Hospital today, it's 104 per cent. pic.twitter.com/xDI66Vixju
— Erin Anderson (@erinbailey_a) January 18, 2022
