Double whammy for Sudbury hospital as number of COVID-19 patients surge
The Omicron surge has hit Health Sciences North hard, with the Sudbury hospital having to deal with two big challenges: more staff off work with COVID-19 than ever, and a surge of patients in hospital with the disease.
CEO Dominic Giroux said Friday there are currently 61 patients at HSN with the virus, more than twice the number of patients than at any time in 2020 or 2021.
“We also have 21 past positive COVID-19 patients," Giroux said.
"So essentially what this means is that one patient out of six at HSN currently has COVID or had COVID and requires acute care."
He said since Jan. 1, the hospital has admitted and provided care to 129 patients for COVID-19. And currently, 190 staff are off work with the disease.
“That represents about four per cent of our teams," he said. "Other hospitals in the province have reported percentages of 8, 10, and 12 per cent.”
But they were prepared for the issues and surge plans are now in effect.
“We’ve had to redeploy about 130 staff from other areas of the hospital to continue to take care of the sickest patients,” Giroux said.
Giroux said patient clinics and diagnostic testing are most significantly affected by the redeployment. It is mostly nurses and other health professionals that have been assigned to other areas.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre faces backlash for comments on Jordan Peterson podcast
Some are calling attention to a comment about 'Anglo-Saxon words' that Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre made while appearing as a guest on controversial psychologist Jordan Peterson’s podcast. The term has been used by those on the far-right to differentiate white people from immigrants and people of colour.

Jason Kenney steps down after 51.4 per cent approval in leadership review
Jason Kenney quit as leader of his party, and premier of Alberta, Wednesday night after receiving a slight majority of support in his United Conservative Party leadership review.
First case of rare monkeypox in the U.S. was someone who recently travelled to Canada
A rare case of monkeypox has been confirmed in a man in Massachusetts who recently travelled to Canada, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Prince Charles and Camilla wrap up Canada visit in Northwest Territories
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are spending the final day of the royal visit in Canada's North.
Four things Canadians can do to save money on their groceries during inflation
With Statistics Canada reporting a 9.7 per cent increase in food costs over the last year, Canadians are being pushed to find ways to pinch pennies at the grocery stores. Here are some ways to save.
Crown wants Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich returned to jail to await trial
Crown prosecutors want Ottawa protest organizer Tamara Lich sent back to jail to await trial, claiming she breached her bail conditions by agreeing to participate in an event next month where she will receive a 'Freedom Award.'
Inflation could put more Canadians at risk of going hungry, experts say
Experts and advocates anticipate that more Canadians could be at risk of going hungry as inflation continues to outpace many consumers' grocery budgets.
Red Cross registers Mariupol POWs as hundreds more surrender
Hundreds more fighters have emerged from the Mariupol stronghold where they made their last stand and surrendered, Russia said Thursday, and the Red Cross worked to register them as prisoners of war, as the end of a key battle in the conflict drew closer.
Trudeau says Ottawa watching Quebec's proposed changes to language law 'carefully'
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is watching 'carefully' how Quebec's Bill 96 is playing out provincially and respects the freedom of members of Parliament to protest it.