Royal Alexandra Hospital cohorts COVID patients on same wards as outbreak spreads
With 24 COVID cases in hospital and emergency wait times in double digits, Royal Alexandra is placing all COVID-positive patients on dedicated wards where transmission accelerates.
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Royal Alexandra Hospital is cohsorting COVID-positive patients on the same wards — a strategy that Dr. Warren Thirsk, emergency room physician at the hospital and president of the emergency room section of the Alberta Medical Association, says accelerates transmission among patients who may have no other illness.
"Especially when we're at capacity and we're looking at shared rooms and rooms with four people in them. If one person in that room has COVID, you know the next three are going to get it if they're not already sick with COVID, which is why we lump them together," Thirsk said.
As of October 3, the hospital had 24 COVID cases among its patients and one in ICU. The week of September 27 to October 3 saw 87 new COVID cases reported across Edmonton. One death from COVID has been recorded this season.
The cohsorting strategy emerges from a broader crisis: the emergency department is running at capacity with hallways full of stretchers and ambulance patients being offloaded into corridors. "We're seeing hallways full of stretchers and ambulance patients being offloaded into hallways, and you know wait times are creeping into the double digits fairly routinely. So I'd say yes, it's bad. I don't know that it's really gotten much better over the summer," Thirsk said.
The hospital has declared at least two COVID outbreaks on different wards in recent weeks, closing entire units when spreading is detected. Patients admitted to hospital may require oxygen, IV fluids, or antibiotics — and COVID can be the factor that tips a manageable home illness into hospital-level sickness.
Alberta COVID vaccinations are not yet available, and the province has a low vaccination rate. Flu numbers are rising earlier than usual this season. "We can't handle what's there now, so anything that puts more people into the hospital puts more people into the emergency department. It will stress the system more and create longer waits and potentially worse outcomes," Thirsk said.
Why is Alberta's COVID vaccine not yet available, and when will it be rolled out?
What is Alberta Health Services' plan to reduce ER wait times and hospital overcrowding?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many COVID patients were at Royal Alexandra Hospital as of October 3, 2026?
Royal Alexandra Hospital had 24 COVID cases among its patients as of October 3, 2026, with one case in ICU.
What are the emergency department wait times at Royal Alexandra Hospital?
Wait times at Royal Alexandra Hospital's emergency department are creeping into double digits fairly routinely.
Why is Royal Alexandra Hospital cohsorting COVID patients together?
Dr. Warren Thirsk explains that cohsorting COVID patients on dedicated wards occurs when the hospital is at capacity and must use shared rooms with multiple patients; isolating COVID cases separately would be impractical under these conditions.
