COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Alberta and other Prairie provinces, STARS air ambulance crews are also seeing an increase in the number of patients affected by the illness in need of transfer.Dr.
JN Armstrong, chief medical officer for STARS, said the number of missions across the Prairies involving patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 has increased to about 18 per cent.
That’s compared to about 13 per cent a week ago.Typically, before the pandemic hit, about seven per cent of STARS’ overall missions were for patients with influenza-like illnesses, according to Armstrong.“They’re concerning,” Armstrong said of the numbers, “because we know they represent a surge in COVID-19 cases.