The peak of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Manitoba is expected next week, so AHS is working with Shared Health on a plan for transporting patients to Alberta
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Alberta is offering intensive-care space to Manitoba as that province grapples with its third wave of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Up to 10 critical-care patients from Manitoba are being transported to hospitals in either Edmonton or Calgary, Alberta Health Services said in a news release Wednesday.
Manitoba’s health authority Shared Health said Tuesday the province is experiencing an “unprecedented” increase in ICU admissions due to COVID-19. Forty-eight patients have already been sent to other provinces.
There are 40 Manitoba patients currently receiving treatment in neighbouring provinces — 38 in Ontario and two in Saskatchewan — while Shared Health is caring for 69 ICU patients in Manitoba, as of Wednesday.
The peak of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Manitoba is expected next week, so AHS is working with Shared Health on a plan to transport patients to Alberta.
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AHS said there currently is sufficient ICU capacity to ensure all Albertans who need critical care will receive it, but with COVID-19 hospitalizations declining the support can be offered to Manitoba.
“The staff and physicians in our hospitals and across our health system have worked hard to meet the needs of patients throughout the pandemic,” Health Minister Tyler Shandro said in a news release.
“I know they are tired, but I also know how deeply committed they are to caring for patients, and I know they will come through again.”
The patients from Manitoba will be returned to their home province once they are stable and can continue their recovery there, AHS said.
Dr. Verna Yiu, president and CEO of AHS, added that Albertans will always be the priority, but it’s important for Alberta to help its neighbours.
“We are fortunate to have such strong critical-care teams in Alberta to be able to assist and support during this unprecedented time. Our teams will do their best to care for Manitobans,” Yiu said in the release.
There are still 435 COVID-19 patients in Alberta hospitals, including 122 in ICUs. However, this is well below the province’s third-wave peak of 729 hospitalizations three weeks ago, and the record high of 187 patients in ICUs two weeks ago.
Another 410 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Alberta on Wednesday, which was nearly double the number of new cases reported the day before. But the test positivity rate was slightly lower, dropping from five per cent Tuesday to 4.9 per cent Wednesday.
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Across the province, there are 6,305 active cases. About 41 per cent of those are in the Calgary zone — the AHS region with the highest number of cases.
Four deaths were reported Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 2,231.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said the total number of deaths is one fewer than it would have been because a previously-announced death was determined to be from out of province and was removed from Alberta’s total count.
“My sympathies go out to their families and friends and anyone mourning a loss today,” Hinshaw said on Twitter.
Second dose appointments opened Tuesday for those who got their first shot in March, and more than 120,000 appointments have already been booked.
Through the end-of-day Tuesday, 30,611 total shots of COVID-19 vaccine were given. Second doses made up 31 per cent of vaccines administered Tuesday.
Alberta has now administered 2,841,779 doses, which includes second vaccinations for 406,712 people. Sixty-four per cent of Albertans age 12 and over have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine, while 10.7 per cent are fully immunized.
“Please book your shot as soon as you’re eligible,” Hinshaw said.
sbabych@postmedia.com
Twitter: @BabychStephanie
AHS offers ICU beds for COVID-19 patients from Manitoba; Alberta reports 410 new cases - Calgary Herald
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