In the wake of the spread of COVID-19 in Montreal, screening clinics on Friday overflowed with patients showing symptoms or having been in contact with people who tested positive for the virus.
“For the moment, indeed, we are very busy,” immediately confirmed Jocelyne Boudreault, spokesperson for the CIUSSS Center-Sud on the island of Montreal. All our appointments are made [pour des tests de dépistage]. We are full at the Hôtel-Dieu and we distributed 400 rapid tests to 400 people who were symptomatic. ”
The situation is similar for the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. “We are currently noting waiting times which can go up to 3 hours at certain times of the day depending on the screening center”, detailed by email Christian Merciari, communications advisor for this CIUSSS.
According to information from Press, the screening clinic at the Olympic Stadium was full by early Friday afternoon. On Chauveau Street, in eastern Montreal, the queue of people waiting to be tested stretched over 350 meters. Patients met on site said they had been waiting for more than two and a half hours. Each of them had had contact with someone with COVID-19 or had symptoms.
Further details will follow.