More testimonies from those fighting inside the health care system to care for COVID-19 patients tell of a tired - but determined workforce at Niagara Health's hospitals.
While signs of improvement are being noted in the declining daily case numbers in the region, the story inside Ontario hospitals is still that of a medical system strained after three devastating waves of COVID-19, and hundreds of dead patients. As late as this week, Niagara Health said at least two patients had passed away while being cared for.
“This is unlike anything I have ever seen,” said Dr. Ryan D’Sa, a physician for nearly 20 years and Medical Director of Critical Care with Niagara Health.
“It’s very challenging for our teams to see the impact this is having on patients and the healthcare system. We were fortunate in waves 1 and 2 that every time numbers went up, public health measures served to delay and reduce numbers, making it more manageable. More recently, wave 2 crested and wave 3 started very soon thereafter and our numbers have really been quite immense.”
In his testimony from inside the ICU that was posted to NH's webpage, D'Sa said the bulk of patients coming in tend to be between 40-60 years of age, but also patients in their 20s and 30s coming in to be put on ventilators.
“Patients are younger, sicker, often deteriorating quickly.”
As of Friday afternoon, 22 people were hospitalized in the intensive care unit, and a majority of them were on ventilators.
In total, 57 patients with COVID-19 are in hospital currently.
Niagara Health has opened up 15 extra ICU beds in a vacant room and rerouted 51 staff from other sites to meet the demand that the pandemic continues to pose for healthcare personnel.
Praising the compassion and determination of his colleagues, D'Sa said that the key to resolving the pandemic is for Niagara residents to continue to follow public health measures.
“To get back to normalcy, we need to reduce the stress and strain on the healthcare system and reduce the number of infections,” says Dr. D’Sa. “At the same time, we need to continue with our vaccination efforts. If we get vaccinated, we stop the virus in its tracks. I know we will see that day and I know the road to getting there is rough. But I have great hope that we will get there. We will persevere and we will be better for it.”
Niagara reported 121 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
Read a recent story about Rhianon Burkholder, a Thorold hospital worker who skipped her retirement to help.
