Healthcare pressure has doubled this month, causing long waits
The healthcare pressure has doubled in the last month in the La Arrixaca Children’s Emergency Service, which is causing long waits at times. This is attested to by some parents who went to the hospital with their children this weekend. “We went for an otitis, on Sunday, and we were waiting seven hours to be treated,” explains one of those affected.
The hospital management confirms that since the beginning of the month “an increase in demand” has been observed, so that “an average of more than 200 consultations are attended on Saturdays and Sundays.” Compared to last month, the assistance pressure has doubled, explains the Management. Although “there are still no particular pathologies that justify the increase”, there is an increase in the incidence of respiratory viruses. This is reflected in the reports of the Epidemiology service of the Ministry of Health. Specifically, the surveillance system for episodes of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in Primary Care detected an increase of 13% last week.
At the head are upper tract infections, although the greatest increase, of 114%, is the flu. However, the rate, of 11 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, is still below the epidemic threshold. The incidence of coronavirus also continues to rise.
In children under five
The highest rates of respiratory infection occur in children under five years of age. Hence the special saturation of pediatric emergencies. But the care pressure also rises in the rest of the Emergency services. At the Reina Sofía, everything is ready for the foreseeable opening of the Pre-admission Unit, an area that serves as a buffer when the number of patients to be admitted exceeds the beds available on the floors. “We are treating a lot of respiratory pathology. On Sunday we had 291 attendees, a high figure, “explains Pascual Piñera, head of the Reina Sofía Emergency Department.
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