Staff lined up and clapped as the unidentified man was wheeled out of the intensive care unit in a wheelchair.
The man waved, smiled and profusely thanked the frontline health-care staff for the care they provided, giving a thumbs up to the camera as he was wheeled by.
You can watch that video clip below.
This week we celebrated the discharge of our first ventilated COVID-19 patient. Thank you to our staff in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, 6 South and to all support services at HSN for giving us hope and making us feel safe. pic.twitter.com/UGzaImzaBB
— Health Sciences North (@HSN_Sudbury) April 22, 2020
Also today, Health Sciences North is encouraging people who COVID-19-like symptoms — even very mild ones — to call to arrange for testing.
In its daily bulletin, the hospital said the more people who are tested, the better.
“COVID-19 is here. We want to test as many people as possible to determine how far this disease has spread in the community,” the bulletin states.
HSN said it has the capacity to test a lot more people than it currently is doing.
“The more people we test, the more information we have to determine our best approach to COVID-19,” the bulletin states. “All of this helps in potentially getting life back to normal.”
If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are very mild, the hospital urges you to call the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 705-671-7373.
Those symptoms are:
- Fever or chills
- Sore throat
- New onset or worsening fatigue
- Loss of taste or smell
- New onset or worsening cough
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Runny Nose
- Nausea or Diarrhea
- Shortness of Breath
You will be screened by a nurse over the telephone, and referred to one of three options if testing is necessary:
- COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 56 Walford Road, with an additional drive- through testing option (9am-5pm 7 days/week);
- NEOMO Medical at 885 Prete Street (8am-4pm 7 days/week);
- New: Drive-Through testing at Primacy Medical Centre, 1485 Lasalle Boulevard
All testing is by appointment only. Walk-ins are not accepted.
