Calgary field hospital, built for the COVID-19 pandemic, less than half full
As surgeries are being cancelled across Alberta to deal with the surge of patients from COVID-19's fourth wave, Alberta Health Services (AHS) says a temporary structure built specifically to address pandemic concerns in Calgary is at less than 50 per cent capacity.
AHS confirmed to CTV News on Thursday that the Sprung Pandemic Response Unit (PRU), which is located at the Peter Lougheed Centre in northeast Calgary, only has 24 of 56 "currently configured" spaces in use.
"The PRU at Peter Lougheed Centre (PLC) continues to operate as an extension of the PLC's emergency department, as it has done since opening in August 2020," said Kerry Williamson, executive director of issues management with AHS.
"The space treats patients of mid-level acuity presenting with a variety of symptoms/concerns, including those who screen positive for COVID-like symptoms and require assessment and treatment."
The PRU was built by Sprung Structures for approximately $2 million, however, during the first five months it was open, AHS confirmed that no patients exhibiting symptoms of the illness were ever treated there.
At that time, AHS said it was able to maintain patient demands in the Calgary zone because of "strong planning and actions taken to ensure surge capacity."
In the meantime, other PRUs have since been built, with one at South Health Campus (SHC) in Calgary and the other at the Kaye Edmonton Clinic (KEC).
Williamson says those two units will be used to help ensure traditional spaces inside the hospitals remain available to general inpatients, in the case of SHC, while the KEC could be used to treat some COVID-19 patients.
"Patients who are recovering from COVID-19 and are deemed to be at low risk of transmitting the virus and patients with less complex healthcare needs than those being cared for in traditional spaces would be treated at the PRU if that additional capacity is required."
According to the latest data from Alberta Health, 1,522 cases of COVID-19 were added over the past 24 hours.
There are 679 Albertans in hospital being treated for COVID-19 and 154 of those are in the ICU.
Nine more people have died from the virus, bringing Alberta's total number of fatalities connected to COVID-19 to 2,434.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.