Patients waiting for surgery will be contacted by RVH physicians as procedures ramp back up

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Barrie, Ont. — After a six-week pause on hundreds of surgeries, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) is gradually resuming procedures as the situation in the Barrie hospital's intensive care unit stabilizes.

The Ontario government directed hospitals to halt all non-emergent procedures in April as ICU admissions surged amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Across Simcoe Muskoka, daily COVID-19 cases hovered above 100 in April and have been steadily declining in recent weeks. The health unit says case counts now average under 40 per day.

RVH has accepted more than 200 patient transfers from overburdened GTA hospitals since December to help "load balance" critical care in the province.

The hospital's chief of staff says some patients had procedures postponed twice throughout the pandemic.

"RVH is anxious to resume surgical activity as soon as possible with safety remaining our top priority," says Dr. Jeff Tyberg.

According to officials, at least 1,300 procedures were delayed during the six-week ramp down.

Surgeons performed nearly 5,000 fewer surgical procedures in the past year compared to before the pandemic.

Physicians and surgeons' offices will contact patients about new surgery dates for any procedures that were delayed.