Montreal Pediatric Hospitals Overwhelmed, Urge Non-Emergency Cases to Seek Alternatives

Hospitals are experiencing high occupancy rates due to seasonal illnesses, advising parents to treat minor issues at home.

Montreal Children's Hospital and CHU Sainte-Justine report emergency room occupancy rates exceeding 140% recently.
Hospitals are seeing a surge in patients with minor health problems, accounting for a significant portion of ER visits.
Parents are encouraged to use alternatives like the 811 health line, family doctors, or walk-in clinics for non-urgent issues.
Hospitals reassure that no child in need of urgent medical care will be turned away, though wait times may be lengthy.
Parents should bring children to the ER for serious symptoms like difficulty breathing, dehydration, or severe injuries.