Partial costs of Sask. COVID-19 hospital treatments, airlifts add up to more than $100M
The Government of Saskatchewan has been billed for some of the costs associated with COVID-19 patient transfers to Ontario hospitals.
So far, ICU patient transfers to Ontario have cost the Government of Saskatchewan $787,532, not including the cost of their hospital stay or flight home.
This fall, 27 acutely ill residents were transferred to Ontario intensive care units to relieve pressure on Saskatchewan’s hospitals.
According to data from the government, 25 patients were airlifted to Ontario at a cost of $25,800 per patient. The total cost for flying the patients to Ontario is $645,000. Costs have not yet been determined for flying the patients back to Saskatchewan.
The cost of the ICU treatment for the patients is also yet to be determined. According to the Minister of Health, the province won’t be billed until all Saskatchewan patients have been repatriated. Four Saskatchewan residents are still being treated out-of-province.
Travel, meals and accommodations for 19 family members of ICU patients transferred to Ontario were quoted at $7,502 per person for a total of $142,532.
The opposition NDP thinks the cost could have been avoided had the government implemented COVID-19 restrictions sooner.
“The government saw the fourth wave coming, ignored the signs, ignored the advice of Dr. Shahab in August and there are the sad results," Vicki Mowat, an NDP MLA, said.
The province said every jurisdiction has had to face the financial impact of the pandemic.
“The fourth wave it has been difficult and challenging for Saskatchewan. We had to move a few patients out of province into Ontario. Earlier in the pandemic we took a number of patients from the province of Manitoba," Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said.
SASK. COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS
The province has also reported more details about the cost of treating COVID-19 patients in local hospitals. To date, the province has spent $100,020,561 on local hospital and ICU admission for COVID-19 patients.
Inpatient hospital admissions reportedly cost the province a total of $39,953,172, which breaks down to 2,814 patients at $14,198 each.
Intensive care treatment in Saskatchewan has cost $60,067,389 to date, for 863 patients at $69,603 per patient.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.