Canada under pressure from three respiratory illnesses: Report

Up to 11% of Covid cases that needed hospitalisations had lung scarring: US study

In Alberta, Newfoundland and Ontario, hospitals have already had to pause new admissions while many are discharging children with less serious cases as occupancy in hospitals remains over 100 percent across several days, the report added.

Canada’s Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario had to open a second intensive care unit to manage the number of critically ill children. In Calgary, the Rotary Flames House discharged all children and paused new admissions so the staff could instead help out with the ‘tridemic’. A children’s hospital in St. John's, Newfoundland, cancelled all routine and scheduled surgeries ahead of the rising cases.

The situation is similar south of the border in the US where three-quarters of all paediatric hospital beds were already occupied by November 20, reported PBS. Some states reported more than 90 percent occupancy for paediatric beds. The three respiratory illnesses are also impacting elderly citizens, those with immunodeficiencies and individuals with comorbidities.

With the healthcare system still not fully recovered after COVID-19 in North America, the rapid increase in the number of cases is putting healthcare resources under strain once again ahead of the Christmas festive season.