by: david carrigg
a third of all intensive care unit beds in b.c. are now occupied by covid-19 patients, the latest ministry of health figures show.
according to data provided to postmedia news on tuesday, there are 474 people in icu beds across the province. of those, 155 are suffering from covid-19 — or 33 per cent — including several young unvaccinated pregnant women.
the figures state there are 510 base icu beds in major hospitals across six health authorities (including the provincial health services authority) and 218 overflow, or surge occupancy, beds.
interior health is in the worst position icu bed-wise, with base beds almost completely occupied (85) and 30 per cent of the overflow beds now in use (six) — this is the highest among all the health authorities.
despite the ministry of health now flying some very sick people out of northern health hospitals for icu treatment, this health region is using none of its surge beds and just 72.5 per cent (29) of its base beds. this is the lowest percentage of base bed occupation across all health authorities.
the reason patients are being transferred out of northern health is because of staffing problems — for example, not enough nurses.