Patient transfers from Saskatchewan to Ontario continuing

Nine more ICU patients are to be transferred from Saskatchewan to Ontario over the next four days — and the number after that could drop significantly.

The Ministry of Health said early Wednesday afternoon that an additional four ICU patients had been transferred, hiking the total to date to 16. Later Wednesday, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency issued a release saying three more patients were on their way east.

That release also said four transfers were planned for Thursday, with three scheduled for Friday and one slated for each of Saturday and Sunday. After that, it’s unknown how many patients — if any — will be moved to Ontario.

“Daily out-of-province transfers are anticipated to decline and will move to an intermittent schedule,” the SPSA release said. “This is due to decreases in ICU and COVID numbers across Saskatchewan, along with the arrival of additional federal resources and increased capacity within the health-care system.”

In its COVID update Wednesday, the Ministry of Health said there were 57 COVID patients in Saskatchewan ICUs, a decrease of 12 from Tuesday’s report. That was the fewest COVID ICU admissions since Sept. 22, when there were 54.

COVID hospitalizations also dropped to 271.

During a media conference Monday, SPSA president Marlo Pritchard said the federal government was sending six critical-care nurses from the military to Saskatchewan as well as an aircraft capable of transferring the patients.

There have been reports that more military personnel may be en route to Saskatchewan to help alleviate the strain on the province’s health-care system.

“Out-of-province transfers are contingent on several factors, such as ICU capacity, clinical assessment, and identification of appropriate patients, severe weather, or other unforeseen events,” the SPSA release said Wednesday. “Final numbers may be subject to change.”