Hundreds of N.B. health-care workers sick with COVID-19, hospital services impacted
As many as 600 New Brunswick health-care workers are unable to work because they’re infected with COVID-19, with the absences closing some emergency departments and suspending services.
The Horizon Health Network reported 250 employees who were absent after testing positive for the virus late last week, with 23 units in seven facilities dealing with an outbreak situation.
The Vitalité Health Network recorded 252 staff absences due to COVID-19 on Friday, a 41 per cent increase over an eight-day period.
As COVID-19 measures were lifted around the province March 14, both health authorities have stayed at a "red level," with all visitors to facilities being screened and masking required.
STAFF SHORTAGES, FACILITY IMPACTS
The Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville temporarily suspended its labour and birth services on Wednesday due to staff being diverted to address COVID-19 absenteeism in other units. Those services weren’t scheduled to resume until Monday morning.
The Queens North Community Health Centre in Minto was closed Friday due to a shortage of available staff.
The Sussex Health Centre’s emergency department was temporarily closed last weekend during the evening and overnight hours because not enough nurses were available.
People were asked to ‘limit their visits’ on Saturday evening into Sunday morning at the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Joseph de Saint-Quentin unless it was an emergency, because of a lack of medical staff in the building.
Paramedics in New Brunswick say the staff shortages at hospitals have led to lengthy ambulance offload delays.
THE RETURN OF UNVACCINATED HEALTH-CARE WORKERS
On Friday, the provincial government confirmed unvaccinated health-care employees would return to work on April 11 after being placed on leave without pay late last year.
The provincial government said unvaccinated health-care employees would be required to follow mitigation measures upon their return, based on advice from public health.
Green Party leader David Coon said the decision "was a sign of panic and desperation."
"Can you imagine, eliminating the vaccination requirements for people who work in very intimate ways with the most vulnerable in our society, in our hospitals, in our nursing homes? It should be going the other way to make sure everyone has their third dose as a requirement," said Coon. "But here’s where we are."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Defence rests without Donald Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial
Donald Trump's lawyers rested their defence Tuesday without the former president taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial.
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Canada's inflation cools to 3-year low of 2.7%, in boost for rate cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Independent stores and grocery alternatives see sales boost amid Loblaw boycott
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.
London judge rejects Prince Harry's bid to add allegations against Rupert Murdoch in tabloid lawsuit
Prince Harry can't expand his privacy lawsuit against The Sun tabloid publisher to include allegations that Rupert Murdoch and some other executives were part of an effort to conceal and destroy evidence of unlawful information gathering, a London judge ruled Tuesday.