Sask. ICU doctor says future patient transfers to Ont. cancelled
An intensive care doctor from Saskatoon reported the Government of Saskatchewan has called off all further patient transfers to Ontario ICUs, which the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre denies.
On Monday, the province confirmed six intensive care patients from the province will be sent to Ontario.
- Sask. and Ont. officials disagreeing over number of ICU patient transfers
Dr. Hassan Masri told CTV News there were plans in place for “a lot more” Saskatchewan patients to be sent out east for care daily for the rest of the week.
“The Government has now, in the last two hours, surprised everyone, including the Saskatchewan Health Authority and all of us here, by canceling all out of province transfers,” he said on Wednesday evening. “We were setting up and we were ready to move patients to Ontario over the next few days.”
“The government is not communicating with anyone about its own decisions.”
Dr. Michael Warner from Toronto said he expected to receive a Saskatchewan COVID-19 patient at his hospital on Thursday.
CTV News asked the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) - which oversees the management of the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre – to clarify the information provided by health officials in Ontario.
“No decision had been made regarding potential out of province patient transfer for Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021,” Christopher Clemett with the SPSA said in an email.
Ontario Health executive vice president Dr. Chris Simpson told CP24 on Tuesday there are plans in place to transfer an additional six patients throughout Thursday and Friday – which would bring the total number of patient transfers from Saskatchewan to 12.
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency president Marlo Pritchard responded to that statement on Wednesday morning - saying that is not the case.
“I'm not sure where that number came from. I can't speak to what they say,” Pritchard said. “We have shipped out three, we will be shipping out a further three, and we are planning and continuing to assess moving forward.”
CTV News has reached out to the office of Premier Scott Moe for a response on Wednesday afternoon but they have not responded.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.