The situation is tense at the Edmundston Regional Hospital, in a region where cases of COVID-19 are still emerging. The head of the unit that treats patients with this disease, Dr John Tobin, testifies about the situation.
On Monday, 11 patients with COVID-19 were in this unit, including seven in intensive care. Six of them are on a ventilator.
Considering the number of healthcare and equipment workers, that number of patients with severe form of COVID-19 is approaching the capacity of the hospital.
“We have determined that the capacity is about nine with the staff we have in place,” says Dr. Tobin.
He stated, however, that the possibility of transferring patients to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton if the need arises gives some leeway to the Edmundston Regional Hospital.
Two patients were already transferred there last week. If another patient needs intensive care in Edmundston, a new transfer may need to be initiated, he said.
“If you’re in intensive care, that means the condition is critical. (Their health) can go either way, ”says Dr Tobin.
He explains that patients are moved to intensive care or to the COVID-19 unit depending on their level of health which can change frequently. He describes it as a “dance of patients”.
“The numbers are changing because the condition of patients is changing. And frankly, with COVID, their condition changes very quickly, ”says the doctor.
A “frustrating” disease
New hospital patients are generally younger than they were before the variants.
Dr John Tobin explains that the disease can be as severe in younger people as it is in older people, even though there are no comorbidities or underlying disease.
Infected people may not have any symptoms, have mild symptoms, or have a severe form of the disease.
“This is what is frustrating with COVID-19. It can affect younger people and it does not prevent them from developing a severe form of the disease. “
Younger patients on the ventilator still have a better chance of recovering from this difficult stage than older patients.
“Having a 38-year-old patient who dies as we saw last week is a near-disaster because you don’t expect to see young patients not getting through.”
Although several drugs are in use or being tested to try to alleviate the disease, the death of a man so young shows that COVID-19 is unpredictable, according to Dr. Tobin.
Chase away the doubt
If “the vast majority” of the community follow the instructions well, the doctor believes that the complete containment announced at the end of the week will have the desired effect and that it will keep the region under control.
“It will serve to make it easier for people to understand. If there are any who are wondering “Should I go there, or go visit my neighbor?” The answer is much easier. It’s no. It’s clearer for everyone. ”
He hopes this measure will be followed by a fairly rapid decrease in the number of cases in the region, but he believes there is still a risk of new cases in the coming days as some contacts of already confirmed cases develop. symptoms.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if we were extended the confinement for another week,” said the doctor.
However, he said he was encouraged that the vaccination was progressing well.
About 31% of the population in Zone 4 was vaccinated on Saturday, according to an update from Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health.
– .
