Posted: Feb 05, 2021 5:37 PM ET | Last Updated: February 5
Hamilton and surrounding hospitals are taking in COVID-19 patients from outside the area to help relieve strains on other health-care systems.(Bobby Hristova/CBC)
There are at least 23 COVID-19 patients in Hamilton, Brant and Niagara hospitals from other areas in Ontario, according to data from a Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) town hall.
Sharon Pierson, COO and executive vice-president of clinical operations, presented the numbers to HHS staff during a meeting Thursday. Pierson said the province is trying to ensure no health-care system in the province gets too overwhelmed.
The breakdown shows seven regional transfers at HHS, eight transfers at St. Joseph s Healthcare Hamilton, six transfers at Joseph Brant Hospital and three to Niagara Health.
CBC News previously spoke to doctors who were concerned about the impacts of shelter outbreaks, and said more people had been sleeping rough out of fear of contracting the virus.
Last week, the City of Hamilton said in a media release that it would be reopening the isolation shelter at the Bennetto Recreation Centre to ensure there was enough capacity for people experiencing homelessness who tested positive for the virus.
The city said the Bennetto shelter would have a maximum of 25 spaces for those referred to the location by shelter and health officials.
It was opened in March 2020 but decommissioned in the summer. An isolation shelter is currently being run by Wesley, and has 11 beds. Shelter staff self-isolate at home.