Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones speaks during a news conference in Vancouver, on Nov. 7.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
Newly released data shows there are more children currently in intensive care across Ontario than available beds to care for them.
There are currently 114 children in ICUs, two more than the maximum the system is equipped to handle.
Only two children in intensive care have COVID-19.
Children’s hospitals have been reporting huge surges in pediatric ICU admissions, largely due to the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Minister of Health Sylvia Jones says the rate of increase in respiratory illnesses driving the surge in pediatric hospitalizations appears to be slowing down.
She says that while it’s too early to say the respiratory illness surge has plateaued, the percentage increase has started to slow down.