Windsor

Windsor Regional Hospital receives 1st out-of-province COVID-19 patients

Two COVID-19 patients from Manitoba are now in the care of Windsor Regional Hospital, marking the first time the hospital has accepted out-of-province patients during the pandemic.

2 patients from province of Manitoba transferred from province of Ontario Saturday

Signage that says Windsor Regional Hospital.
Windsor Regional Hospital received two patients from Manitoba to help the province free up critical care space in its hospitals. (Sanjay Maru/CBC)

Two COVID-19 patients from Manitoba are now in the care of Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH), marking the first time the hospital has accepted out-of-province patients during the pandemic.

Both of the patients are on ventilators in Windsor Regional Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU). 

"Windsor Regional Hospital will continue to support our local and regional patients but also patient needs across Ontario and now Canada," a statement from the hospital reads. 

The province of Manitoba reported 461 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. Shared Health, its health authority, said it has now moved 10 patients to Ontario hospitals in an effort to free up critical care space in its hospitals. 

WRH president and CEO David Musyj said the hospital is "one of a handful of Ontario hospitals with ICU capabilities being asked to support our fellow Canadians during Wave 3." 

"We are grateful to our colleagues in Ontario for their partnership and support in the care of Manitobans with COVID-19," said a spokesperson for Shared Health. 

It its statement, Shared Health stated that just one patient had been transferred to WRH but the hospital told the CBC that another had been sent after the statement was released.

In addition to the two patients from Manitoba, WRH said that it has accepted 87 COVID-19 patients over the past two months, nine of which remain at the facility as in-patients.

"Our team will continue to provide exceptional clinical care for patients from our region and Ontario and also those we are asked to support from across Canada," said WRH chief of staff Dr. Wassim Saad.