After a quiet period over Christmas, hospital emergency rooms are overflowing again in Quebec. A resurgence of respiratory viruses is sending many Quebecers to the emergency room.
At healthcare facilities in the Montreal region, average occupancy exceeded 100% Saturday evening. According to Index Sande, other areas were also particularly affected, notably Laval and Laurentides with occupancy rates close to 140%. (new window) (external link).
A few days after Christmas, traffic in Quebec emergency rooms began to rise again. Some health facilities in Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec reached 190% occupancy rates on Wednesday. On the same day, hospitals in Estrie and Abitibi-Témiscamingue also noted heavy traffic. Even on the North Shore, some health facilities were overflowing Thursday.
Vice-President of the Association of Emergency Physicians of Quebec Dr. Delphine Remillard Labrose is not surprised by such transits in December.
Every year we expect significant congestion around this time, so compared to other years this was no exception
Dr. Rémillard Labrosse underlines.
Delphine Rémillard Labrosse is vice-president of the Association of Emergency Physicians of Quebec.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Benoît Barbeau, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at UQAM and an expert in virology, agrees. According to him, the resurgence of respiratory viruses is not surprising, especially since most of them are spread by aerosols in the air.
This is a result of people being more inside [l’hiver]
He explains.
Organization of hospitals
Ms. Rémillard Labrosse actually considers that hospital overcrowding is caused not only by the arrival of new patients, but also by the management of those already admitted to the hospital.
According to him, many patients cannot leave the emergency room because there is no room on other floors.
Once we decide to admit these patients to the hospital, we cannot send them to the floors when they are admitted to the hospital. So there is a system problem. Patients are in the emergency room. Their delays on stretchers in the emergency room are increasing
Ms. Remillard Labrose explains.
So congestion is more than the number of arrivals
she adds.
Some patients may need to wait for long-term care or another healthcare facility
Continue prevention
Benoît Barbeau also believes that the peak of flu infections has not yet been reached. He recommends that people with symptoms of a respiratory infection stay home on New Year's Day.
Ideally, I know this can be a heartbreaking decision, and if you test positive for Covid-19 or the flu, it's not really a good time to come with a mask, even at a family gathering.
Mr. Barbeau explains.
Benoît Barbeau is a professor and virology specialist in the Department of Biological Sciences at UQAM. (archive photo)
Photo: Photo courtesy of Benoît Barbeau
According to him, the Covid-19 virus accounts for a significant portion of the reported infections.
Unlike before the epidemic, there is a new virus, which increases this burden, and therefore at the level of services, health care, emergency. The Covid-19 virus is real [et il] Increases the number of hospitalizations
He mentions.
So he urges us to be vigilant so that the virus does not spread.
Even if we think the pandemic is behind us at this point, let's remember that the virus is still there […] There is much in the population. So, we have to use more […] Good breathing etiquette, but also good judgment precisely based on our behavior, the places we find ourselves
Mr. Barbeau said.
MGH Montreal General Hospital Montreal General Hospital
Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-Claude Thaliana
The staff gasped
Emergency room stays have increased because the Quebec Interprofessional Health Federation, which represents 80,000 nurses, has yet to agree on a new collective agreement with the provincial government.
In addition to working conditions, the salary question divides the two camps. In December, the FIQ It demanded a 20% hike in 4 years for its members. In return, the provincial government offered him 12.7% over 5 years.
there FIQ It has decided to avoid any public announcement till January 15 to encourage progress in the talks.
With information from Audrey Neveu
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