Via Google News, a report from The Canadian Press: Swine flu could force surgery cancellations in N.S.'s largest health authority. Excerpt:
Nova Scotia's largest health authority is facing the possibility of having to cancel all scheduled surgeries as it increases the number of beds and staff dedicated to swine flu cases.
Officials with Capital Health said Friday that they are down to 45 per cent of the surgeries they would normally perform because more people with H1N1 are being placed in intensive care units.
Chris Power, CEO of Capital Health, said they're expecting the number of people with swine flu to double each week for the next couple of weeks, placing more demand on already stressed resources.
That would add about six to 10 people a week to intensive care units, leading to the possibility that all non life-threatening surgeries may be postponed for a time.
"That may come to be," she said. "We're assessing it on a day-to-day basis."
The hospital cancelled 37 surgeries Friday and expects that number to grow. That included urology, ear, nose and throat, orthopedic, neurological and cardiac procedures.
