Due to pressure on the acute care system and capacity issues, Chatham-Kent’s hospital is warning the public about longer than normal wait times in the emergency departments.
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance said its emergency departments at both sites in Chatham and Wallaceburg have become overburdened due to significant bed capacity concerns.
Hospital officials are asking the public to seek non-emergency medical care in community settings where possible, such as a family physician or a walk-in medical clinic.
“CKHA and its partners continue to collaborate to ensure the regional system is able to handle the influx of patients and ensure timely access to care,” CKHA said in a news release.
Patients attending the emergency departments at CKHA for non-emergency ailments should also expect longer wait times. Ambulance response times for non-emergency situations may also be longer than usual.
For a list of local walk-in clinics and COVID-19 resources, click here.