COVID-19: Flow of Cases Stressing Kingston Hospitals – Kingston | The Canadian News

With the Kingston area counting new COVID-19 cases by “dozens” each day, Kingston General Hospital (KGH) has also seen a sharp increase in very ill patients with the virus.

As of Tuesday morning, Kingston Health Sciences Center is using approximately 90 percent of its current ICU capacity and approximately 35 percent of its ventilators for a variety of conditions, including COVID-19.

“In addition to a number of people coming in who are very, very sick with COVID, we are also experiencing incredibly high volumes of other sick and injured people requiring admission,” says Elizabeth Bardon of KHSC.

Three weeks ago, KHSC revealed that they were seeing a record number of patients in the KGH emergency department and the urgent care center at Hotel Dieu Hospital.

Bardon says the influx of patients is causing a chaotic environment for patients and staff, which is sometimes compounded by some of those receiving emergency care.

“So we are seeing an increase in people who, perhaps, are not as respectful as we would like to our staff and it is really important to remind people that we know they are stressed, but that our teams are stressed,” he says. Bardon.

“We need to work together in partnership and mutual respect is a big part of that.”

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Gerald Evans says he knows what hospital staff are going through.

“People in the hospital are tired and exhausted. As someone who works in the hospital, I can tell you that I’m a little tired and a little frazzled, ”says Evans. “We need to have that little break during the holidays as well, but we can’t if there is a real need for that care to be provided.”

As of now, there is no increase in restrictions before the holidays, but Dr. Oglaza and KFLA Public Health are encouraging all residents to limit social gatherings, continue to screen for symptoms, and get vaccinated.

1:54Kingston Hospitals Approach ICU Capacity As Covid-19 Cases Continue To Rise

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