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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.