The province reached the highest level of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 earlier this week, and while the Health Minister has indicated the system is managing well, the nurses union disagrees.

Register Nurses Union President Yvette Coffey says the province’s health care system is under strain, even without COVID.

There are over 600 nursing vacancies in the province says Coffey, not to mention the more than 1000 health care workers who are currently isolating because of COVID-19.

Coffey says the province only lists the number of people who enter the hospital because of COVID-19, but it doesn’t include those who test positive after entering a health care facility.

There are currently outbreaks at long-term care facilities in Gander, Placentia, and St. John’s.