More B.C. hospitals could be overwhelmed if infection rates don't come down, say experts

Vancouver -

A surge of COVID-19 cases in the Central Okanagan has forced some elective surgeries to be rescheduled, and experts are warning that other hospitals could see the same thing if a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases continue.

Interior Health says Kelowna General Hospital is seeing a high number of COVID-19 positive patients due to the outbreak in the region.

“Some elective surgeries have been rescheduled to manage capacity at the hospital,” says a spokesperson for Interior Health in an emailed statement to CTV News.

“Affected patients are being notified directly to reschedule their procedure.”

B.C.’s top doctor adds COVID infections are causing staffing issues at the hospital.

“There have been a number of healthcare workers who have been affected by COVID, and that has put additional challenges particularly on Kelowna General Hospital,” says Dr. Bonnie Henry.

A group of independent COVID-19 modellers suggest more hospitals could soon be overwhelmed by an influx of COVID-19 patients, if cases don’t start coming down.

“There are unfortunately enough people who are not protected by vaccination, that if COVID continues to spread among them, with the occasional breakthrough infection, then yes, we could overwhelm our healthcare system again,” says Caroline Colijn, infectious disease modeller and Simon Fraser University math professor.

Colijn says the central Okanagan is not the only part of B.C. seeing rising case numbers.

“We’re actually seeing growth across B.C.”

According to data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, cases are climbing in each of the province’s health authorities. Seventy-two per cent of eligible British Columbians are fully vaccinated, however researchers say that’s not good enough to stop the spread of the more easily transmissible Delta variant.

“If I had to pick a number I would say we should be getting 90 per cent of people who are eligible vaccinated,” says Colijn.

Data from Colijn and her fellow COVID-19 modellers suggest the province could record more than 1,000 new daily cases by September. If so, researchers say more hospitals would be strained.

She says the best way to prevent that is to get more British Columbians vaccinated, which involves an approved vaccine for children under 12 years old.