MONCTON – The emergency department at a hospital in Moncton is experiencing slowdowns because of bedbugs.
Medical staff at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre discovered the insects on a patient who was admitted Wednesday.
A patient was visiting the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre on Wednesday when medical staff detected the presence of insects on the patient and called in a pest control team.
“We had an individual patient coming in that had bedbugs and we were only able to determine that once he was in the facility,” said Richard Losier, chief operating officer for Vitalité Health Network.
Patients are being warned that there may be slowdowns in the emergency department until treatment of the affected areas is complete. Two separate examination rooms and a portion of the emergency department waiting room were closed off.
Losier said the department is still operating at full service.
Lucie Savoie and her son were at the emergency department on Friday afternoon when she noticed an exam room was closed off to the public.
“I noticed one room, but I thought they were painting or something,” she said. “I did not ask any questions.”
Losier said the bedbugs don’t pose any public health risk but their bite can be painful.
The hospital expects operations to return to normal by Saturday evening.
With files from Shelley Steeves
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