KITCHENER -- Hospitals in Waterloo Region have been told to make space as the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units hits an all-time high in Ontario.
There are 932 people across the province in hospital due to the disease. Regionally, 37 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.
Officials say the number will likely grow in the coming days due to suspected cases of the disease.
"We are getting to a tipping point in our health system," said Lee Fairclough, the regional COVID-19 response lead.
Hospitals have been told to make space for an increase in cases. Ontario Health's CEO sent a memo on Tuesday asking for hospitals in red or grey tiers to ensure they have 10 to 15 per cent surge capacity ready within 48 hours.
"Each of the hospitals has been looking at this and how it might relate to scheduled procedures," Fairclough said. "(We're" being very strategic at what we can continue and what we can't, especially as it relates to our ICU capacity."
Infectious disease expert Dr. Abdu Sharkawy said hospitalizations and ICU patients will likely continue to soar.
"We are going to see numbers like we've never seen before," Dr. Sharkawy said. "What has been happening over the last three weeks will predict that the numbers will continue to go up for at least the next two to three weeks. There's almost nothing we can do to prevent it."
Hospital officials said staffing pressures are also a concern.
"We don't have people to staff them and, with further community spread, with further outbreaks where staff are also off, this is the thing we have to focus on most as a community," Fairclough said.
Hospitals are preparing staff to help at long-term care homes dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks. Fairclough said they are also speaking to hospitals in London and Hamilton in case they need to move patients around to maintain capacity to treat patients with COVID-19.
St. Mary's General Hospital has 11 patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, and another 17 who are suspected to have the disease. Six patients are in the ICU.
Cambridge Memorial Hospital has nine COVID-19 patients, with two in the ICU. Eighteen staff are currently at home because they've tested positive for COVID-19 or have been told to self-isolate.
Grand River Hospital has 14 patients with COVID-19, along with 76 suspected cases. Four people are in the ICU. Thirty-six staff members have either tested positive or been told to self-isolate.
