Emergency rooms in Quebec are overflowing: Index Santé
As the holidays approach, emergency rooms in some Quebec regions have been overflowing for several days.
Index Santé, which provides regular updates on emergency room situations across Quebec, reports that on seven of the last 10 days, from December 11 to 20, the average occupancy rate has exceeded 100 per cent capacity.
Occupancy is normal Tuesday morning in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions.
On the other hand, numbers in three other regions are above 140 per cent.
In Lanaudière, the Centre hospitalier régional de Lanaudière and Hôpital Pierre-Le-Gardeur have occupancies of 173 per cent and 167 per cent, respectively.
Five of the six hospitals in the Laurentians are in the red, with the Hôpital régional de Saint-Jérôme, Hôpital Laurentien and Hôpital de Saint-Eustache reporting occupancies ranging from 134 per cent to 172 per cent.
The average emergency department rate is 140 per cent in the Montérégie, including 184 per cent at Hôpital du Suroît, 173 per cent at Hôpital Honoré-Mercier and 171 per cent at Hôpital Pierre-Boucher.
In each of the latter two cases, 17 patients were on stretchers for at least 48 hours.
Among the 21 hospitals on the Island of Montreal, eight emergency rooms are over capacity.
The Fleury (133 per cent) and Sacré-Coeur (137 per cent) hospitals remain the busiest.
In Quebec City, the situation is most problematic at Hôpital Saint-François-d'Assise and Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, where occupancy rates are 115 per cent and 110 per cent, respectively.
Elsewhere in Quebec, emergency room occupancy rates are high at Le Royer Hospital in Baie-Comeau (240 per cent), Centre-de-la-Mauricie Hospital (132 per cent) and Centre hospitalier Sainte-Croix in Drummondville (126 per cent).
On Monday, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé stated that due to the rampant community transmission of the COVID-19 virus, he may need to consider certain measures to manage the situation in hospitals.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 21, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
'More aggressive': Tocchet shifts lineups as Canucks get ready to take on Oilers in Vancouver
As the Canucks prepare to take on the Oilers for Game 5, Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet is making changes to the team's lineup.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.