The occupancy rate reached 200% today in the emergency room of the Sept-Îles hospital. With 20 stretchers out of 10 occupied, the situation leads to waiting times of up to 13 hours.
The occupancy rate is also 200% at the Havre-Saint-Pierre emergency room with 4 people for 2 places. The Emergency Department is also overflowing in Baie-Comeau, with a rate of 160% for 10 stretchers. In Port-Cartier, 60% of places are occupied.
Lots of respiratory viruses
CISSS Côte-Nord communications advisor Pascal Paradis specifies that many people consult for respiratory viruses. He adds that staff can be added to maintain a safe ratio of users per caregiver, when the occupancy rate of stretchers is high.
“The circulation of respiratory viruses partly explains the crowds in emergency rooms in the region. It’s a similar situation that comes up every year, particularly after holiday gatherings. The consultation rate is, however, lower than on the same date last year,” maintains the spokesperson for the CISSS Côte-Nord.
In Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles, users waiting for a place in hospitalization occupy stretchers in the emergency room. Users in alternative levels of care occupy hospitalization beds, which has an impact on the emergency department.
Everywhere in Quebec
Overflow in emergencies affects several other regions of Quebec. The occupancy rate stands at 143% across the entire network, according to the Indexsanté.ca website.
Before going to the emergency room, the CISSS Côte-Nord invites people who have questions about their state of health or if the health problem is not urgent to call Info-Santé at 8-1-1. A nurse will assess the state of health and give recommendations for care at home or to find the service that will best meet the need.
The Integrated Health Center thanks all the staff in place for their dedication and essential work.
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