Toronto: SickKids hospital to increase surgeries again as respiratory surge subsides

Canada’s largest pediatric hospital, Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, stated that it will begin ramping up the number of surgeries from Monday after previously having cancelled many scheduled surgeries in order to accommodate the surge of respiratory illnesses due to the triple threat of Covid-19, RSV, and influenza that overburdened hospitals across the nation since mid-November.

The past few months were the most challenging times seen by the hospital in its history, according to Associate Chief of Perioperative Services Dr. Simon Kelley.

Due to the rescheduling and postponement of surgeries, six of the 16 operating rooms in the hospital were shut down. However, time-sensitive and critical surgeries were still performed in the hospital.

The hospital has since reportedly observed the number of patients with respiratory illnesses subside to the numbers common for this time of the year. Therefore, it intends to increase the number of surgeries back up again.