Eleven elective surgeries at Winnipeg’s Children’s Hospital have been postponed over the past three weeks because of the high number of children with respiratory illnesses at Manitoba’s only pediatric hospital.
hospital announced plans to postpone some surgery and move some health care workers around December 14, 2022, as doctors reported the hospital was seeing an influx of children admitted to intensive care influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV,
Surge in illnesses at Winnipeg hospital postpones some children’s surgeries
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Although the number of sick children has decreased somewhat since then, officials said Wednesday that the hospital was still seeing high patient volumes, especially infants and children.
“The surgical teams continue to work to minimize the postponement of elective surgeries based on available staffing and capacity,” Sheard Heath said. in a release,
As of Wednesday morning, Shared Health said there were 15 children in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, which has a normal baseline capacity of nine beds.
Officials said the neonatal ICU, which has a capacity of 50, had 46 patients on Wednesday morning.
Children’s ERs have seen an average of 133 patients in the first three days in January, down from a record pace seen in November 2022, when the hospital saw an average of 170.3 children per day, according to Shared Health.
Shared Health said that of 127 children who attended the ER on Tuesday, 49 had influenza or were experiencing flu-like symptoms. Seventy-three children were classified as having high to mid-acuity, a rate officials say is “above normal” for the hospital.
Eight patients with high to moderate acuity were admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, assisted officials.
Shared Health said in a Wednesday release, “While only eight were admitted, high- to mid-severity patients require greater levels of care, which can slow patient flow and impact wait times.” Can do – especially for low-acuity ones.”
Shared Health said 108 children – nearly all children and infants – were hospitalized for RSV-related illness in the first 30 days of December, including 17 requiring hospitalization in the ICU.
Officials previously said pediatric surgeries were postponed last winter during flu season, but this year the amount is unusual.
Patient volume in Winnipeg children’s ER drops, but remains ‘elevated’, says Shared Health
The boom started earlier than usual this year, before the official start of winter.
Officials said in December that emergencies and urgent cases such as broken bones, cancer and acute appendicitis were not being postponed.
Ear, nose and throat procedures and others that are less time-sensitive are delayed surgeries.
Health officials are “strongly encouraging” Manitobans to vaccinate against it Fever And COVID-19,
They are reminding Manitobans to stay home when sick, wash their hands regularly and wear a mask when out in large crowds.
More information about vaccines, including a list of places where shots are available, can be found at province website,
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