TORONTO — Hospital CEOs in Ontario’s York Region say their facilities have reached a “tipping point” in COVID-19 admissions.
A joint statement from the CEOs of Mackenzie Health, Markham Stouffville Hospital and Southlake Regional Health Centre highlights a “significant increase” in admissions due to the novel coronavirus in recent weeks.
The group says they are concerned that the trend could impact access to other health care, like scheduled surgeries.
They are calling on residents to wear masks in public and forgo gathering over the holidays in order to protect the community.
As of yesterday, Ontario reported nearly 800 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including more than 200 in intensive care.
York Region is currently in the red level of the province’s pandemic response framework – the strictest public health measures short of a lockdown.