Ottawa Hospital to stop allowing visitors, postpone non-urgent surgeries
The Ottawa Hospital is prohibiting general visitors and postponing non-urgent surgeries in line with new provincial restrictions.
“The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) will be postponing non-urgent surgeries, procedures and ambulatory care activity to ensure that we can continue providing urgent and emergent care to those in need,” the hospital said in a news release Monday.
The move is in line with a new Ontario government directive pausing all non-urgent surgeries starting Wednesday in order to prepare for a rapid increase of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore said pausing non-urgent surgeries will free up 1,200 to 1,500 extra beds, which will be "essential to be able to provide oxygen and care" to Omicron patients.
The Ottawa Hospital says care teams will identify which surgeries and procedures will be postponed on a case-by-case basis, “based on factors such as urgency and the health situation of each patient.”
If you’re scheduled for surgery in the coming weeks, you will hear from the hospital shortly, the news release said.
Also effective Wednesday, general visitors will not be allowed in the hospital for the “foreseeable future.”
The hospital will allow one essential care partner at a time for each patient. An essential care partner is a support person, often a family member of close friend, whose presence is considered essential to a patient’s safety and well-being.
Exceptions for visitors will be made based on compassionate grounds.
The hospital asked the public to continue to follow public health guidelines by wearing masks, practicing good hand hygiene, limiting contacts and most importantly, getting vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19.
“Health-care workers continue to lead us through this pandemic. They have been called heroes, but they are also human, and have endured so much to ensure that we can continue to provide the essential health-care programs we offer to our community.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Advocacy groups speak out against domestic violence comments by Nova Scotia minister
Several Nova Scotia groups that assist women are speaking out against comments on domestic violence by Justice Minister Brad Johns, and at least one is calling for his dismissal.