Status Report: COVID-19 Outbreaks and Hospital Operations

Our hospitals and health care system are under considerable pressure as we enter our second pandemic holiday season.

Our ability to provide urgent and crucial surgeries, tests and procedures to patients and clients is limited to those who are in most need of care. Physicians, administration, and frontline staff are managing hour-by-hour, day-by-day.

All hospitals are operating with reduced staffing resources, and all of our regional hospitals continue to respond to and mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks and exposures.

Despite this strain on our health care system – and, more importantly, the added stress on the dedicated health care professionals that make it run – we continue to provide as many urgent and emergency services as possible. But we know we are not able provide care for everyone in a timely manner, and we ask that you continue to be patient as we prioritize the sickest and most vulnerable patients.

This means anyone with an appointment at a Horizon hospital or health care facility should continue to attend unless notified. We continue to ask that you keep our emergency departments for emergencies. 

Our health care professionals have been working through the COVID-19 pandemic for almost two years now and are facing ongoing and new pressures. Despite this, they are still going above and beyond each and every day to provide safe and quality care to their patients using the limited resources and time they have. We ask that patients and loved ones be patient and kind when interacting with our staff and physicians, especially those who are working over the holidays, spending time away from their families and loved ones.

Our visitor restrictions are in place to keep our patients, clients, staff and physicians safe. We understand it is difficult if you are unable to be with a loved one in hospital over the holidays, but we must prioritize the safety of our vulnerable people and facilities. Please be respectful to our frontline teams when discussing visitor restrictions.

We will get through this challenging time if we all work together and support one another. We understand the people of New Brunswick are tired, frustrated and just want to put COVID-19 behind them.

Our teams feel the same – and we must still do our best to work through new challenges and continued realities of this pandemic. The best way you can support your health care system is to get vaccinated (and a booster, if you are eligible), follow Public Health guidelines, and treat our staff and one another with kindness, respect and patience.

Dr. John Dornan, interim President and CEO, Horizon Health Network

This report will be updated only when situations evolve.

Hospital Operations

Hospital Occupancy Rates

Horizon regional hospital average: 95.2%

  • Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (Fredericton) (DECRH):83%
  • Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH):98%
  • The Moncton Hospital (TMH):92%
  • Saint John Regional Hospital (SJRH):97%
  • Upper River Valley Hospital (Waterville) (URVH):106%

COVID-19 Inpatients

Horizon total: 29 COVID-19 patients, including 16 in ICU

  • DECRH:
    • COVID-19 Unit patients:2
    • ICU COVID-19 patients:1
  • MRH:
  • COVID-19 Unit patients:4
  • ICU COVID-19 patients: 4
  • TMH:
    • COVID-19 Unit patients:3
    • ICU COVID-19 patients: 3
  • SJRH:  
    • COVID-19 Unit patients:3
    • ICU COVID-19 patients: 6
  • URVH:
  • COVID-19 Unit patients:1
  • CCU COVID-19 patients: 2

Reminder: Visitor Restrictions

Due to the continued high number of COVID-19 cases and risks associated with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across New Brunswick, Horizon is maintaining its visitor restrictions.

This means there continues to be NO SOCIAL VISITORS ALLOWED at Horizon hospitals and health care facilities. Some exceptions are in place for certain patients, including patients who are eligible for a designated support person (DSP). To learn more, click here.

Reminder: Emergency Departments

Horizon Emergency Departments are currently experiencing high patient volumes and staffing issues. To avoid long wait times, please keep the emergency department for emergencies only.

Remember, there are options for receiving non-urgent care – including your primary care provider, pharmacist, after-hours clinics, virtual care, Tele-Care 811 and the Urgent Care Centre at Horizon’s St. Joseph’s Hospital for the Saint John area.

To help choose the best option for your care, visit sowhywait.ca.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or proceed to your local Emergency Department. Emergency, critical and urgent cases will always be treated as quickly as possible.

COVID-19 Outbreaks

A COVID-19 outbreak means patients require extra precautions, which means extra resources. Our staff and physicians are working diligently to provide care and comfort to our patients during these outbreaks. 

The Moncton Hospital (TMH)

  • The COVID-19 outbreak on Unit 3600 (Family Medicine and Palliative Care) has had no new cases since Friday, Nov. 26. Staff testing was completed on Tuesday, Dec. 21 and patient testing will end today. The outbreak may be declared over on Friday, Dec. 24.
  • The COVID-19 outbreak on Unit 4600 (Family Medicine) has had no new cases since Monday, Dec. 6. Testing of staff and patients is continuing.
  • The COVID-19 outbreak on Unit 5100 (Family Practice and Geriatrics) remains in effect with a new positive staff case confirmed on Monday, Dec. 20 and a positive patient case confirmed on Monday, Dec. 13. Patients were tested Monday, Dec. 20 and staff were tested Tuesday, Dec. 21 with eligible patients scheduled to receive their booster shots Wednesday, Dec. 22.
  • The COVID-19 outbreak on Unit 6600 (COVID-19 Unit) has reported no new cases since Thursday, Dec. 9. Staff testing is ongoing.

Saint John Regional Hospital (SJRH)

  • The COVID-19 outbreaks on Orthopaedic Surgery (3CS) and Internal Medicine (4CN) have been declared over.

Ridgewood Veterans Health Wing

  • The COVID-19 outbreak at Horizon’s Ridgewood Veterans Health Wing in Saint John has been declared over.

Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH)

  • The COVID-19 outbreaks on Alternate Level of Care (4 East) and Medical Stepdown (2 West) units have had no new cases since the outbreak was declared on Wednesday, Dec. 15 after two staff and two patients tested positive for COVID-19.
  • The COVID-19 outbreaks on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Family Practice Unit (2 West) have had no new cases since the outbreak was declared on Saturday, Nov. 27 after 1 patient tested positive for COVID-19. 

Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH)

  • The COVID-19 outbreak on 4SW (General Surgery) has had no new cases since the outbreak was declared on Friday, Dec. 17 after a staff and an inpatient tested positive for COVID-19.

Upper River Valley Hospital (URVH) 

  • There are no COVID-19 outbreaks at this time

Measures in place to stop the spread and support staff and patients at all hospitals with outbreaks

These measures are in place to ensure the health and safety of our patients and clients, staff, physicians, and the community.

  • Horizon has implemented comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) precautions, such as enhanced cleaning as well as contact tracing to protect the health of patients and staff.
  • Patient and staff in affected units are being tested regularly. Inpatients are being screened for COVID-19 symptoms twice a day (every 12 hours).
  • During this time, there will be no patient admissions or transfers to and from affected units.
  • Horizon’s Designated Support Person (DSP) program will be temporarily suspended on these units and Horizon’s existing visitor restrictions remain in place.
  • We understand it is difficult for families and friends to be separated from their loved ones during this period. We encourage people to use technology to connect with our patients.

– 30 –

For more information contact:

Kris McDavid

Media Relations

1-877-499-1899

media@horizonnb.ca

horizonnb.ca/news