Photo: Shaun Penner / EverythingGP staff

By Shane Clausing

hospital facing rise in COVID cases

QEII Hospital continuing to experience pressure from COVID-19 patients

Sep 10, 2021 | 3:34 PM

Alberta Health Services has provided an update on the current status of the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Hospital in Grande Prairie.

In a statement to EverythingGP, AHS says as of September 10, the QEII’s intensive care unit (ICU) was at capacity, with all six beds occupied. Of those six beds currently occupied, five patients have COVID-19.

There are currently 17 patients with COVID-19 occupying hospital beds at the QEII, which does not include the five patients in the ICU. This means a total of 22 patients with COVID-19 are in hospital at the QEII.

“Queen Elizabeth II Hospital continues to experience capacity pressures due to increasing number of patients with COVID-19,” said AHS in a release.

AHS also mentioned it has once again, been forced to make the decision to transfer several non-COVID patients to other healthcare centres in the North Zone.

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“Measures like these will be undertaken on an as-needed basis to ensure we have the capacity required to care for our patients,” they say.

While there are several patients with COVID-19 in the hospital, AHS says the QEII remains a safe place to receive care.

“There is no increased risk to patients coming to the hospital. Any patient with symptoms or who has tested positive for COVID-19, is isolated and treated in designated rooms.”

AHS is strongly urging all Albertans to get immunized as quickly as possible, as vaccines are safe and effective at limiting the spread of the virus while reducing hospitalizations and negative outcomes.

They ask for people to continue to follow preventative measures such as regular hand hygiene, masking, distancing, and staying home while sick to keep themselves and others safe.