‘Significant Bed Capacity Concerns’ at Windsor Hospitals Due to COVID and Respiratory Illness

Windsor, Ont. –

Windsor-Essex health sector partners warn the public of increasing pressure on capacity across the region’s acute care system due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and other respiratory diseases.

The three hospitals in the region, in collaboration with Essex-Windsor EMS and the

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit issued a joint press release on Friday.

“Hospitals are reporting significant bed capacity issues amid not only an increase in COVID-19 cases, but also a recent increase in respiratory illnesses,” the press release said. “While emergencies are always treated promptly and receive immediate medical treatment, patients should expect wait times and treatment for any illness other than emergencies to be much longer than habit. “

Ambulance response times for non-emergency situations may also be longer than usual.

Hospital officials say they are doing what they can to preserve the capacity of surgeries, many of which have been postponed during peak times of the pandemic since spring 2021.

“We ask patients to seek care where possible, for non-urgent needs, in community settings, such as their family doctor or a local medical clinic, to help alleviate pressure on the system,” said said health partners.

The Windsor Regional Hospital says it is also seeing a dramatic increase in the number of young children with severe respiratory problems requiring an immediate higher level of care.

During the months of October, November and the first two days of December, Windsor Regional Hospital had to transfer 11 pediatric patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to London or Detroit.

By comparison, last year for the months of October and November, WRH transferred only three pediatric patients. The age of transferred children is generally two (2) years or less.

Health officials say the reason for this sudden increase is unknown, other than to recognize that respiratory viruses not directly related to COVID-19 are still with us and that individuals should be aware of them in their daily lives. .

The best way to limit their spread is to continue to follow public health measures and be especially careful with children at high risk of serious RSV disease, including premature infants, children with chronic lung and heart disease, and children with weakened immune systems.

WECHU also sees a peak in community spread of COVID-19, with the most recent seven-day rate of 123 cases per 100,000 population. A percentage of these cases will require hospitalization and intensive care beds.

Hospitals report that a large percentage of those cases requiring hospitalization go unvaccinated.

Erie Shores HealthCare notes that the percentage of COVID-19 positivity of people tested in its COVID-19 assessment center is around 15% over the past week. As of November 29, COVID-19 positivity for all of Windsor / Essex was 8.3%. In comparison, the percentage of COVID-19 positivity in the province of Ontario is three percent.

Local healthcare partners continue to stress the importance of getting the vaccine to help stop the spread.