The emergency room situation across Quebec has deteriorated significantly over the past 12 days, with the total number of patients waiting for care rising to 1,900. Provincial stretcher occupancy currently stands at 99%, a sharp 18-percentage-point increase compared to the 81% recorded on March 28th. This trend indicates a growing bottleneck in patient flow, as both the total number of patients in the ER (4,924) and the occupancy levels remain consistently high throughout the day. Areas like Montréal, Laval, and the Laurentides are experiencing the most intense pressure, with occupancy rates well above 120%.
Hôpital de la Cité-de-la-Santé in Laval and the Jewish General Hospital in Montréal are the highest-pressure facilities, with the latter reaching a critical stretcher occupancy of 242%. While some regions like Nord-du-Québec remain relatively stable, the overall provincial data suggests a system under mounting strain, characterized by a significant influx of nearly 700 additional patients waiting for services compared to the previous reporting period.