The Canadian Armed Forces say they are ready to support Saskatchewan with up to six intensive care nurses, who they say will be deployed to intensive care units.
The military also said it would provide medical airlift for transfers of intensive care patients within and out of the province, depending on capacity, and could also provide a pair of teams of versatile medical assistance to replace nurses in the province.
On Friday evening, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair tweeted that the federal government had approved a request for pandemic assistance in Saskatchewan, including military support.
Blair also noted that Ottawa is also in talks with the province to provide additional help from the Canadian Red Cross and other health resources.
Saskatchewan reported on Sunday it has transferred an additional patient to another province as its hospitals remain under pressure due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, bringing a total of eight patients it has transferred out of province so far.
The military says it expects to support Saskatchewan until Nov. 17, but is ready to extend that date if necessary.
“We are currently working with provincial authorities to ensure that these health care professionals are employed in the best possible location based on the needs of the people of Saskatchewan,” a military statement said over the weekend.
The statement said that military personnel will only be employed in medical institutions after completing the mandatory training for their integration.
Saskatchewan Health Authority data for this month shows Saskatchewan had the most intensive care unit residents per capita than any other province at any time during the pandemic.
The SHA said on Sunday that 285 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized, including 74 in intensive care. These figures do not include patients who were transferred out of the province.
Active cases in Saskatchewan on Sunday were 2,963, down significantly from a month ago, when they stood at 4,734 on September 24.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on October 24, 2021.
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