Sudden surge in COVID-19 patients forces North Bay hospital to cancel some surgeries
A sudden increase in the number of people entering hospital because of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours has filled almost all available beds at North Bay Regional Health Centre.
The dramatic increase – eight people – has filled all beds set aside for COVID-19 patients. All of those suffering from the disease are from the area, the hospital said in a statement Tuesday.
"The health centre has enacted the final stage of its COVID-19 bed plan, which is triggered when all of our designated COVID-19 beds are full," the hospital said.
"This increase in COVID-19 patients, combined with our existing bed pressures, means our hospital will have to increase measures to protect and preserve our hospital’s capacity to provide acute care. This could include patients being moved to unconventional spaces such as a sunroom."
Effective Tuesday, all surgeries requiring a hospital stay have been postponed.
"The postponement of these surgeries will be assessed on a weekly basis," the hospital said. "Outpatient surgeries will continue as well as confirmed cancer cases."
Patients with existing surgeries and appointments will be contacted directly by the hospital. Patients can still attend scheduled outpatient appointments and our emergency department remains open.
"In an emergency, please don’t hesitate or delay receiving care," the hospital said. "Our health centre is prepared to safely provide care to all our patients."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Boeing is on the verge of launching astronauts aboard new capsule, the newest entry to space travel
It’s the first flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule with a crew on board, a pair of NASA pilots who will check out the spacecraft during the test drive and a weeklong stay at the space station.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.