The Peterborough Regional Health Center is facing three COVID-19 outbreaks, as well as staff shortages, but is “managing reasonably well,” a senior hospital official said Tuesday.
In a media conference call, Dr. Lynn Mikula, the hospital’s executive vice president, chief of staff and chief medical officer, said there are currently 30 patients admitted with COVID-19. Two of them are in an intensive care unit.
Mikula says the “vast majority” of patients had COVID-19 symptoms when they were admitted, noting that incidental admissions are “difficult to report accurately.”
“It is difficult because most of the people we examine in the hospital have symptoms of COVID or because they have been a high-risk contact,” he said. “So most of the patients in our hospital, who we say have COVID, are here because they had symptoms of COVID-19. It is also important to understand that even patients admitted for a… condition, their main condition can change while they are hospitalized.
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“It is difficult to report this data accurately and consistently. I will say that of those 30 patients, the vast majority were admitted due to respiratory symptoms or COVID-19 symptoms that we would classify as the main reason they were hospitalized. “
On Monday, Peterborough Public Health declared a third active outbreak at the hospital, the latest in the B4 inpatient unit with seven reported cases. Other outbreaks declared last week were in the A5 hospitalization unit (five cases) and in the neonatal ICU (two cases).
“A series of intensified infection control measures are being implemented in affected units, including testing of asymptomatic patients, staff and physicians,” Mikula said. “All of the improved infection control measures also remain in effect throughout the hospital, including temporary visiting restrictions, screening at all entrances, universal use of masks and frequent hand washing.”
The increase in COVID-19 cases in the region has also affected the hospital with “around 200” staff members out of work, either with COVID-19 or have been identified as a high-risk contact, Mikula said. The hospital employs more than 3,000 employees and physicians.
“It is important to note that the vast majority of these cases and exposure occurred in the community, not in the hospital,” Mikula said.
According to the new provincial directives, the hospital currently has “less than 20” health workers who have returned under “self-isolation in the workplace”With a number of protocols in place including N95 respirator masks, strict testing regiments and symptom monitoring, and eating separately from other personnel.
“We don’t have any staff working who actually have COVID-19,” he added. “The only people we are bringing back are people in self-isolation or who had some type of exposure, generally a lower risk.”
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Mikula noted that like most hospitals in Ontario, PRHC is operating “at or near 100 percent capacity” most days and there is still no concern about the physical space to treat COVID-19 patients. .
“We are exploring the use of different wave spaces. The real restriction is not the physical space within the hospital, it is the staff to tend those beds.
“It is a continuous effort and it changes from day to day. But for the moment, we are managing reasonably well. “
In late December, Mikula said the staff was “exhausted” from the 21 months of the pandemic, but remained resilient to fight the last stage of the Omicron variant.
On Tuesday he also reiterated his presentation for people to follow public health directives and encouraged vaccination.
– More to come
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