Manitoba hospital patients could be transferred to other facilities to maintain ICU capacity: province

WINNIPEG — As COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions increase during the fourth wave in Manitoba, the province is putting in new protocols to maintain ICU capacity.

According to the province, COVID-related hospital admissions have increased by 26 per cent in the past week, and ICU admissions have increased by 17 per cent during that same period.

Dr. Brent Roussin noted these admissions are largely among the unvaccinated population. He also said the majority of those ending up in the ICU are being tested and diagnosed with COVID-19 upon arrival.

“That means typically those are individuals who have been ill for a week or two. So, no positive case, no guidance on isolation, no contact investigation on these individuals, so that puts increasing likelihood of transmission,” said Roussin, who noted contact tracing investigations do take place when an individual tests positive in hospital.

“It really does impact our ability to use those test-positive cases to predict what our health-care system would be looking like in a couple weeks because two-thirds of people admitted are only being tested on that day.”

He said if these increases continue, access to other medical care in hospitals will have to be reduced or halted to ensure sufficient ICU capacity for COVID-19 care is available.

Roussin said cases in the Southern Health region could double in less than three weeks, with an estimated 93 cases per day.

“That alone could place the province’s health system at risk,” said Roussin.

In response to the pressure building on the healthcare system, the province said new protocols will be put in place to protect capacity at sites that support patients in the ICU, as well as those in need of surgery.

“We have fully vaccinated people who have had surgeries delayed because of strains on the health-care system. This pandemic has caused so much harm to so many people for so many different reasons,” said Roussin.

The province noted patients admitted to a hospital or health-care facility will be assessed for their individual requirements and may be transferred to another facility in Manitoba to better meet their needs while maintaining ICU capacity. This includes patients who live in Winnipeg.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon said staffing for ICUs has been intensified, with more nurses now trained to support critical care patients.

The province noted patients admitted to a hospital or healthcare facility will be assessed for their individual requirements and may be transferred to another facility in Manitoba to better meet their needs while maintaining ICU capacity. This includes patients who live in Winnipeg.

“We must be proactive in protecting our health-care system and ensure we have hospital beds available to continue to provide care to patients in need,” said Health Minister Audrey Gordon.

She said staffing for ICUs has been intensified, with more nurses now trained to support critical care patients. This includes nearly 140 nurses who completed a two-week general ICU orientation course offered between April and July of this year, as well as 67 nurses who completed or are enrolled in a 12-week critical care orientation program.

As of Friday, the province said 92 Manitobans are hospitalized with COVID-19, which includes 60 infectious patients and 32 non-infectious patients. There are also 19 people receiving intensive care for COVID-19, 14 of whom are infectious and five who are no longer infectious, but continue to require critical care.