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OTTAWA — A doctor in Ontario has improvised a way to double his small hospital’s ventilator capacity in preparation for a possible COVID-19 outbreak.

Anesthetist Dr. Alain Gauthier, who has a PhD in respiratory mechanics and works in Perth, west of Ottawa, spotted the idea in a YouTube video.

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In basic terms, the rig involves running two hoses from one ventilator and doubling the power.

In just ten minutes with the help of some extra tubing, Gauthier made it possible to double the number of patients ventilated in the hospital at once, if needed.

But there’s a catch: the two patients attached to the same ventilator need to be of similar size and lung capacity. And if one patient declines things will need to be adjusted.

It’s not perfect, but as Gauthier put it, “if it comes to last resort, I’m prepared to use it.”

Gauthier said the population the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital serves may be at greater risk if hit with the COVID-19 outbreak. Many of the 60,000 people in the region are older, with underlying health conditions like diabetes and chronic pulmonary disease.