There are currently 49 people with the corona virus in the intensive care units of Dutch hospitals, reports the National Coordination Center for Patients Spreading (LCPS). This means that for the first time since September 17, 2020, fewer than 50 corona patients occupy a bed in the IC. However, the pressure on healthcare is not over yet, says LCPS chairman Mark Kramer.
The number of corona patients in the nursing wards fell by 80 to 642. The last time fewer than 700 patients with Covid-19 were in the nursing wards was at the end of October last year.
The number of admissions of people with the coronavirus is also falling. On Wednesday, 6 corona patients were admitted to the IC and 42 to the nursing wards. A total of 691 patients with or due to corona will be in hospital on Wednesday, 87 less than a day earlier. The LCPS makes no distinction in the daily hospital figures between patients admitted with or because of corona.
Still very overloaded
However, due to the high absenteeism rate, some healthcare institutions are still overloaded, warns Kramer. “It is important that these institutions receive support to ensure that they do not fall over. Otherwise everyone in care will suffer from it.” In the first three months of 2022, nearly 10 percent of all healthcare workers called in sick.
In addition, the corona patients are still ‘extra’ work. “Every year, 6.5 million people come to the GP or out-of-hours medical center with an acute question,” Kramer calculates. “Around 2 million people go to the emergency room from there. Of these, approximately 700,000 patients are hospitalized. Every corona patient comes on top of that.”
Canary in a coal mine
Now that large-scale testing at the GGD has been abolished, the corona infections can be better monitored on the basis of general practices, the LCPS chairman believes. “The busyness in general practices is an important indicator.” According to Kramer, it is the first place where people with complaints end up. “The general practice can be the canary in the coal mine. If that canary falls, you know that a problem can arise.”
If that canary falls over, you know there could be a problem
Incidentally, if a new mutation of the coronavirus again causes many hospital admissions in the autumn, the LCPS can be ready ‘very quickly’. However, the current ‘buffer’ in healthcare is insufficient, according to Kramer. He believes that the capacity should be expanded. “It all starts with the doctor. In this way we must prevent the care institutions from filling up,” says Kramer.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
#corona #patients #lowest #level #September