Laurence Dollimore
HOSPITALS in Sevilla are close to collapsing due to coronavirus, health professionals have warned.
The Sevilla Medical Union released a dire warning today saying that if the infection rate does not slow it will be necessary to build field hospitals.
“It will become impossible to provide adequate care to the population,” the statement warned.
“The measures adopted so far continue to show no significant impact and the number of patients admitted for COVID-19 continues to climb, both in conventional beds and in ICU units.
“More than half of the ICU beds in the province are occupied by coronavirus patients.”
It comes as a doctor in the Hospital Virgen del Macarena told the Olive Press last week that the emergency room there was constantly collapsing and that people were being left in hallways on beds due to a lack of space.
“One woman in her 80s was waiting for surgery in the hallway for more than 12 hours,” the doctor, who asked not to be named, told this paper.
“The number of COVID patients arriving has not stopped, we get at least 80 per day.
“We have been stopping non-urgent surgeries to deal with them.
“It is not only the ICU beds but we have almost no conventional beds left either, the hospital is collapsing.”
His claims were backed by the union today, which said many hospitals are having to make more space outside of ICU areas to deal with the influx of coronavirus patients.
“Essential materials are becoming scarce, including respirators,” the union said, “while doctors with other specialities are being draughted in to help manage, meaning a growing pressure on all doctors… exhaustion is beginning to take its toll.”
The bleak statement, released today, added: “The population should know that, if this rate of infection continues, soon there will not be enough space in our centres to care for the sick and it will be necessary to set up field hospitals.
“Although there are plans to increase the number of hospital beds and ICU beds, it will be difficult to have qualified personnel to attend to them.”
“Without wanting to fall into alarmism, at this rate of increase in infections, it will become impossible to provide adequate assistance to the population.”
It went on to call for tougher restrictions on mobility and lifestyle.
“Society and politicians seem to live with their backs to the tragedy that grows every day inside our hospitals. Will they have to overflow to make them listen to us?” it reads.
“We need both society and the health authorities to become aware of this because if the infections are not stopped shortly we will experience dramatic scenes.”
