Decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations allows 'time to exhale'

Embattled by the third wave of COVID-19, staff at Ottawa's hospitals say the recent decline in hospitalizations has provided a chance to return to a version of normal.

On Thursday, Ottawa Public Health reported 14 local residents in hospital with COVID-19, including four in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Hospitals across the city have slightly more total patients than public health reports due to out-of-town transfers, but the story remains the same: ICU admissions due to the viral infection have significantly declined.

ICU nurse Christie Cowan said this has given her more room to move for her work at The Ottawa Hospital.

• Hospital staff bracing for the worst as ICU beds fill up
• Hospitals at capacity as COVID-19 fears lead to sicker patients seeking treatment

During the height of the third wave,some ICU rooms had to squeeze in two bedsfor COVID-19 patients.

"It was very crowded. You could see the [case] numbers going back to normal, but the second beds were still in the room," she said.

"Now those second beds are no longer in the room. The unit is looking a little bit back to normal."

Cowan said the influx of patients has left a physicaland emotional toll as she cares for patients who may not have been able to see family.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit drained," she said.

Each vaccination selfie has provided a boostas people in the community do their part, Cowan added.

"There's a huge sense of relief for sure and maybe cautious optimism."

Turning tide

Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, an ICU and palliative care doctor in Ottawa, sees two key signs of change: fewer patient transfers from the Greater Toronto Area and declining case counts in eastern Ontario.

"We're feeling the tides turn," Kyeremantengsaid.

WATCH |Doctors, nurses relieved as number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients declines

Ottawa doctors, nurses relieved as number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients declines

3 years ago

Duration 1:21

Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, an intensive care physician at The Ottawa Hospital, says the number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital has dropped, giving staff some much-needed breathing room.

After months of demanding shifts, which included cases ofsleeping at the hospital, staff members now have more time to support each other or recharge with family at home, he said.

"There was ample opportunity to work and I think it's hard to say no when there's a time of crisis. But now, having time to exhale, it means the world."

If people continue to follow public health guidance and get vaccinated,Kyeremantengsees the light at the end of the tunnel

Hospital has 0 COVID patients

Since June 15, the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa has reported no patients with COVID-19.

At the height of the third wave, there were 54.

The hospital continues to review how it will change rules around the admission of visitors and its plan forthe resumption of elective procedures.

"Having less patients and less pressure from COVID right now allows us to make sure staff can actually take a little bit of a breather," said Dr. Bernard Leduc, president of the Montfort.

Leduc expressed caution people need to continue to follow public health guidance, adding that reopening too quickly contributed to the severity of Ontario'sthird wave earlier this year.

There's a similar feeling of cautious optimism at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital in the city's west end, which hadthree COVID-19 patients on Thursday.

Lianne Learmonth, who heads the hospital'scritical care department, said her staff is tired and needs its own care.

She also notes the hospital continues to take patients, including some who last saw a doctor months ago and live with complicated conditions.

"Today's the first day in about three weeks that we haven't been over capacity," Learmonth said Thursday.

"In a sense, we're back to regular business andthank goodness we don't have a lot of COVID patients, because I'm not sure where we'd put everyone."