Thunder Bay hospital prepared for potential COVID-19 hospitalizations, says doctor leading response team

The physician leading the COVID-19 response at Thunder Bay's regional hospital is confident the facility is prepared for potential hospitalizations from the virus, as local case numbers continue to rise.

Since Nov. 6, there have been 83 reported cases of COVID-19 within the Thunder Bay District, accounting for 41 per cent of the local total since the start of the pandemic.

Of that surge, at least 29 cases have been linked to spread among people playing pickleball with another 24 associated with an outbreak at the Adult and Teen Challenge of Central Canada's centre in Thunder Bay.

"If this happened in March, I would be really significantly concerned," said Dr. Stewart Kennedy, the incident manager for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre's COVID-19 response.

"But because of the precautions we've put in place at the regional hospital since March, because of the learnings we've had since March, I know we're very well prepared for an influx of COVID-19 into the hospital."

One COVID-19 patient in hospital

Kennedy said one patient with COVID-19 is currently admitted in the hospital. That individual arrived with mild symptoms of the virus, as well as other comorbidities.

A COVID-19 unit had been created at the regional hospital earlier in the pandemic, but was discontinued in July.

The hospital's planning would have that unit re-established once the number of patients with the virus within the facility hits six, and could be up and running within two days.

Kennedy said, unlike in March when elective surgical procedures and outpatient diagnostic procedures were largely halted, hospital officials are determined to try to keep those services available as long as possible.

"We know from our learnings previously that the mortality and morbidity of stopping all those procedures are far greater than the risk of COVID-19," Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the hospital was at 85 per cent capacity on Thursday, with an additional 30 beds recently funded by the province available if patient volumes spike.

He said the hospital is capable of providing support to other regional health care facilities, particularly after Manitoba announced it would only accept transfers of northwestern Ontario patients who are critically ill with an immediate threat to life when the shortened travel time would provide the most benefit.

The hospital is involved in what Kennedy described as an "active investigation," after learning that a Northern Ontario School of Medicine student on the Lakehead campus is a confirmed case, although Kennedy said preliminary information suggests there is no risk to the hospital or hospital environment.