'The last thing we need is more hospitalized COVID-19 patients': Summer case increases add stress to Maritime hospitals

The number of people with COVID-19 in Maritime hospitals this summer continues to climb, with more week-to-week increases in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

The extra care required for hospital patients infected with COVID-19 has been adding weight to an already stressed health-care system.

“Right now, in Nova Scotia, we have over 350 health-care workers off due to COVID-19 isolation, so that just puts added burden and strain,” said Dr. Leisha Hawker, president of Doctors Nova Scotia, in an interview Friday.

“A lot of people have been working really, really hard the last two years and are trying to take vacation. So the staffing shortage is a big issue right now.”

There are 44 people in hospital with COVID-19 in Nova Scotia — based on information provided from July 12 to 18 — an increase of eight people from the previous week.

In New Brunswick, there are 22 people with COVID-19 in hospital — for the reporting period of July 10 to 16 — up five people from the previous week.

On Prince Edward Island, there are 41 people with COVID-19 in hospital — from July 12 to 18 — up 22 people from the previous week.

“The last thing we need is more hospitalized COVID patients,” said Bernadette Landry, co-chair of the New Brunswick Health Coalition, in an interview Friday. “Each COVID patient needs a lot of time.”

Both Landry and Dr. Hawker said an increase people wearing masks would help alleviate some of the healthcare pressure.

“The current variant spreads quite easily,” said Hawker. “Just with the larger number of cases, we will see a larger number of hospitalizations because of that.”

The New Brunswick Health Coalition made a plea on Friday for the provincial government to reintroduce an indoor mask mandate. New Brunswick’s Department of Health said it wasn’t considering the measure, in a statement later in the day.

“We need to do something about it,” said Landry, hoping more people would consider masking up.

“It’s not that hard to wear a mask. It just means that we’re respecting each other and we’re trying to take care of each other as much as possible, as well as the healthcare system.”