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?:abstract
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Since the emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019, health care systems around the world have been dealing with the pandemic Mortality rates of patients admitted to ICUs and placed on mechanical ventilators were a concern initially We sought to compare the burden of disease that BC has experienced with that of other Canadian provinces and other countries In March 2020, 66 7% of the COVID-19 deaths in Canada had occurred in BC, but by 11 July 2020, the proportion had declined to 2 1% In April 2020, critical care mortality and mechanical ventilator mortality of New York patients with COVID-19 was 78 0% and 88 1%, respectively As of 8 July 2020, critical care mortality and mechanical ventilator mortality of BC patients with COVID-19 were 16 6% and 15 4%, respectively Overall, BC has experienced a lower burden of disease and significantly lower critical care mortality than described in initial reports from China, Italy, and New York This is likely due, in part, to a timely public health response that included broad early testing and case and contact management, travel and mass gathering restrictions, physical distancing measures, and prevention of “superspreader” events BC has also benefited from decisive action by hospital administrators, and the sharing of data and resources such as ventilators and personal protective equipment To ensure that inpatient mortality in ICUs does not increase in the event of another wave of COVID-19, contingency plans must be put in place Capacity should be built into the system so that staff-to-patient ratios allow for optimal patient care, personal protective equipment is available to protect staff, and isolation room availability is increased © 2020, British Columbia Medical Association All rights reserved
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