Within about a month, the province of Ontario could be out of ICU beds, even if the amount of confirmed COVID-19 cases we’re seeing now are cut in half. That’s according to a recent report out of Sunnybrook Hospital, U of T, and University Health Network.
There are four local ICU beds locally, all of which are inside Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital. With the federal and provincial government encouraging manufacturing companies to produce medical supplies, there’s hope things like ventilators and N95 masks will increase in quantity.
The SMGH and Four Counties Health Services fall under the Middlesex Hospital Alliance umbrella, and its VP of Finance, CFO and Chief Information Officer Alasdair Smith says the government’s plea to companies could pay off.
He says locally the ICU beds are not full, and if COVID-19 spreads throughout Strathroy-Caradoc, they’ve prepared additional negative pressure rooms to try and maximize capacity.
They’re still encouraging residents to keep to themselves, stay home especially if you’re sick, and regularly wash your hands.
written by Grant Deme