Gaspé hospitals say they are ready
GASPÉ – The CISSS de la Gaspésie is taking the necessary measures in preparation for patients with coronavirus. Sixty-four additional beds are ready in hospitals in the Gaspé to cope with covid-19. Currently there are 25 beds available in Maria, 16 in Gaspé, and 13 in Chandler while in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts there are 10.
All elective surgeries, that is non-emergency surgeries, have been cancelled until further notice, and breast cancer clinics have suffered the same fate. No appointments will be made.
“There is work being done with all the staff to assess the patients currently hospitalized. Can we do anything but keep them in hospital, in particular to protect them and at the same time allow people with covid-19 to be hospitalized?” says assistant director Johanne Méthot. Homecare, front-line and telephone services are being strengthened.
Four screening clinics were active in hospitals and they were removed from the hospitals. “We have trailers outside. People will no longer be screened in our premises,” said Ms. Méthot.
The time delays for receiving the results of these tests will also be reduced. Currently, the average is four days, but Quebec has opened clinics across the province. The samples from the Gaspé will be processed in Rimouski to speed up the processing.
Necessary material
Health authorities assure that all the equipment necessary to deal with the crisis will be made available. For example, the network has 42 respirators: 11 are available in Maria and Chandler and 10 are in Gaspé and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Orders have been placed to increase the number. The CISSS estimates that up to 15% of all people who will be affected by the disease will need to be hospitalized. Extreme cases could be treated in Quebec or Montreal.
Those who are not in the hospital will be followed closely. “They will be at home with the treatment they need to recover properly,” says Dr. Bonnier Viger, Director of Public Health.
Back in service
In addition, 12 retired nurses have returned to service and 16 other people have indicated their interest in returning. “There is really great solidarity. People who are retired are calling us. We even received names of teachers since the schools are stopped to give their availability,” says the President and CEO, Chantal Duguay. While people returning from trips and seniors are not respecting all of Quebec’s instructions, Dr. Bonnier Viger reminds people to take the disease seriously. “It is only on this condition that we will succeed in winning this battle. Most people understand this well. The prevention messages must be repeated. “
Covid-19: Breakdown of hospital services available to Gaspesians
Number of beds earmarked for coronavirus patients in the Maria, Chandler, Gaspé and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts hospitals: 64 for the region.
Number of intensive care beds earmarked for coronavirus patients: 16 in the region (usually four per hospital).
Number of respirators per hospital as of March 19: (total for the region: 42) Maria: 11; Chandler: 11; Gaspé: 10; Sainte-Anne-des-Monts: 10.
Effective Friday, March 20, those needing to produce a sample for analysis for the covid-19 will have to do so without entering any of the Maria, Chandler, Gaspé and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts hospitals. Mobile units will be installed on hospital grounds, for that procedure. Until then, samples will be taken from vehicles in Chandler and Gaspé, and inside the hospital in a designated area for the people going to Maria and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.
According to Dr. Iv Bonnier Viger, director of the Gaspé Peninsula Public Health Board, between 10 and 15% of the people contracting the coronavirus will have to be hospitalized. They will not be systematically sent to the intensive care unit. Their state will determine the place where they will be treated.
Up until March 18, a sample taken from a Gaspesian and sent to a Quebec City or Montreal laboratory necessitated five days before the issuance of a result, positive or negative. The rising number of laboratories able to make those analysis in Quebec has since reduced that waiting time.
Quebec’s Department of Health has released the number of coronavirus detection tests carried out so far in the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands. As of March 19, at 2:30 p.m., 81 samples were sent to the eight laboratories of the province and the results of 43 tests were available, all negative. The results of 38 tests were still unknown as of March 19.
So far, 80 samples from Gaspesians and Magdalen Islanders have been sent for an analysis to one of the Quebec City and Montreal laboratories; 71 tests have been negative and nine test results are unknown, as of March 20 at 2 p.m.