Halifax Infirmary operating at 100% capacity after sterilization woes

Surgeries are back up to full speed at theQueen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre as the Halifax Infirmary gets a handle on its sterilization problem.

The hospital doesn't know when the 560 postponed surgeries will be rescheduled.

Janet Knox, the CEO of the new province-wide Nova Scotia Health Authority,says catching up will depend on how many resources theycan use.

"Today we're at 100 percent providing 100 per cent of our planned surgery so that's a goodnews story," she said.

"I can tell you that about 30 per cent of those surgeries are cataract surgeries that we don't need inpatient beds. That makes it easier."

The hospital has ordered new sterilization machines. Other hospitals are helping out with equipment and by loaning the Halifax Infirmaryoperating-room time.

The province has increased the use of Scotia Surgery, a private facility in Dartmouth. It usually works three days a week for the province, but is now pitching in for five days a week.

Hospital staff noticed a fine black dust on sterilized surgery trays on April 11 and determined the sterilization process wasn't working, according to the Nova Scotia Health Authority.