Leamington, Ont., emergency beds filling up with COVID-19 patients
CBC
An increase in COVID-19 patients admitted to Erie Shores HealthCare (ESHC) in Leamington is causing significant delays and wait times, hospital officials say.
In a news release on Monday, the hospital said the number of COVID-19 patients admitted has doubled this week compared to last, with fewer nurses and beds available to care for them.
Nearly 25 per cent of the hospital's beds are being used to treat COVID-19 patients, the release said.
The situation ESHC is experiencing is not unique, officials said, with hospitals scattered across the province dealing with patient overflow. Last week, patients waiting to be admitted to the hospital filled, on average, 75 per cent of the emergency department's beds.
Because of the surge, the hospital is asking people who are not experiencing a medical emergency to consult a family doctor, seek out a walk-in or urgent care clinic or call 811 to talk to a registered nurse.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.