Sixth wave | The effect is felt in the emergency room

Emergency rooms are packed this Easter weekend. Authorities are urging Quebecers to avoid going there as much as possible.

Lea Carrier
The Press

COVID-19 continues to hit the network hard.

In the greater Montreal area, the various integrated health and social services centers (CIUSSS) have all reported heavy traffic. They asked people to consult a pharmacist or call the Info-Santé line at 811 for minor problems, rather than going to a hospital.

In emergencies, the sixth wave is indeed there, says the D^r Bernard Mathieu, emergency physician at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. “It’s very clear,” he says.

Just a month ago, he was seeing almost no more cases of COVID-19. “We thought it was over,” says the D^r Matthew.

Then, last Wednesday, his service admitted a dozen people hospitalized with COVID-19. Patients who would normally have been taken upstairs, but who, for lack of beds, are congesting the emergency room. “It’s a lot, compared to the other waves”, worries the emergency doctor.

Quebec on Saturday reported 19 more virus-related deaths and 22 fewer hospitalizations across the province. In all, 2,131 Quebecers with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized.

They are 9 more patients than Friday in intensive care, or 105 in total.

An additional 2,538 cases were reported in the province in Saturday’s tally. Remember that these figures probably only reflect a part of the total infections, due to the limited access to PCR screening tests.

13,000 healthcare workers absent

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, said Friday that he was concerned that 13,000 health care workers were missing due to COVID-19 and anticipated that “that [allait] be tough in the ER in the next two weeks,” but that the network would hold firm.

With “just seven or eight” employees currently absent from the Maisonneuve-Rosemont emergency room, the D^r Bernard Mathieu considers himself lucky. “We are probably in a favorable situation compared to other hospitals,” he believes.

On Friday, the CIUSSS de l’Outaouais announced the temporary suspension of visits until further notice in the seven hospitals in the region. Those in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Chaudière-Appalaches had to reduce certain services in one or more establishments.

Several CIUSSS reminded some cautionary advice, in particular to avoid large Easter gatherings. They recommend people leave windows open to circulate air and stay home if they experience symptoms of COVID-19 such as fatigue or throat irritation.

With Mayssa Ferah, The Press