New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health Dr. Yves Leger says even though flu season has begun, he is worried the worst is yet to come.
Canadian doctors have been calling it the triple threat. Influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are all impacting hospitals.
“But I suspect that the situation may get worse,” Leger said addressing reporters on Friday. “COVID-19 is on the decline right now but we know will increase again most certainly later this fall and winter.”
Leger was made available to reporters after a heated debate in the legislature on Thursday about the lack Public Health guidance provided to the public.
Flu and RSV cases impact hospitals
In New Brunswick, there have been 59 cases of influenza since the beginning of the season. Two people have died.
Leger was quick to clarify that he doesn’t have any involvement in the management of the health-care system but said the government and the two regional health authorities are communicating about the situation.
The IWK in Halifax said it is dealing with ‘historic’ levels of respiratory viruses in children.
“Across the province, from Yarmouth to Sydney and at the IWK, acute care services for children are stretched, stretched, stretched,” said Dr. Andrew Lynk, the chief and chair of pediatrics at the IWK Health Centre in an address to the public on Nov. 17.
“These are historic levels that I’ve never seen before in my career here since 1990.”
Leger, though, said there is an opportunity for New Brunswickers to get ahead of what is happening in other hospitals.
“We have an opportunity here to prevent that from happening,” he said. “We have an opportunity to change the course of how this unfolds in New Brunswick.”
Horizon Health Network said in the first 15 days in November there have been 38 lab-confirmed cases of RSV.
“While our health-care workers are dedicated and resilient, a number of our hospitals are currently at or near capacity and many staff are out sick,” said ER doctor, Serge Melanson, who is also a clinical lead for HHN.
He said the best thing people can do is get vaccinated for the flu and up-to-date with COVID boosters, as well as, wearing a mask in indoor public spaces.
No return to mask mandates
However, Leger was quick to turn down the notion of a return to mask mandates.
“I do believe that masks are important part of the response and will help to reduce transmission,” he said. “So, this is really not a question or debate about whether or not masks are helpful. It is really about whether or not we need to put measures in place that force people, against their will, to wear masks in certain settings.”
He said said some immunity is provided through vaccination, and transmission doesn’t always happen in public settings and therefore the “benefit would be limited.”
Unlike in Nova Scotia and Ontario, Leger’s press conference was not live-streamed.
Leger explained “he’s been busy,” juggling the duties of regional medical officer of health and standing in for Dr. Jennifer Russell. He is also taking on her national level duties.
In September, Leger got married and said he was fortunate enough to take some time off for his honeymoon in October.
“So I feel that’s what we’re doing here today — providing an update and providing information hopefully that will be useful to New Brunswickers.”
— With files from Alex Cooke
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