Covid-19: Gauteng Government Says Hospital Beds Are Running Out
- The Gauteng government says the increase in Covid cases has taken a toll on both the private and public health sector
- One of the concerns for the health sector is that there are not enough Intensive Care Unit beds for Covid patients
- A paramedic in Gauteng has explained that some hospitals have to turn away patients due to the lack of hospital beds
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The Gauteng government says hospitals in Gauteng are struggling as a third wave of the coronavirus grips the province. In a report by 702, the Gauteng provincial government is reportedly concerned by the alarming rate Covid cases are increasing in the province.
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Spokesperson for the Gauteng Provincial Government, Thabo Masebe, says the province has seen an increase in hospital admissions at both private and public hospitals in the past few weeks.
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“In the past, there were about 2 000 admissions and now we have about 3 000 so they [hospitals] are feeling the pressure,” said Masebe.
Masebe added that hospitals in the public sector currently have around 4 000 beds left while private sector hospitals are now running at 70% capacity, which is a cause for concern.
Masebe also said that there is a huge reason to be concerned about the scarcity of ICU beds, stating that patients who become really sick because of Covid will need them.
A number of healthcare workers in Gauteng have confirmed that hospitals are struggling with the rise of infections and hospitalisations due to Covid in a report by News24. A doctor from a private hospital told the publication that before the pandemic their ICU would see at least three deaths in a month and now they are seeing about seven a night.
A paramedic told the publication that they often hours ambulances with patients while waiting for hospital beds to be freed up. In other instances, hospitals would divert patients to other hospitals because of the lack of hospital beds.
The paramedic added that they are experiencing a high volume of Covid cases, higher than the first and second wave.
"The previous two waves, we weren't this busy. We are doing a lot more Covid-19 cases," he told News24.
South Africa records over 17k cases, more than 10k in Gauteng
In an earlier report by Briefly News, it was reported that a massive 17 493 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in the last day. This takes the number up to 1 861 065 with Gauteng seeing an increase of 10 806 alone.
There have also been 166 new deaths reported bringing the death toll to 59 258. Covid-19 tests are also on the rise as many across the country fear for their lives. As many as 70 186 tests for the virus were conducted in the past 24 hours with a massive 24.9% positivity rate of infections.
The vaccine rollout programme in South Africa is going smoothly so far with 2 312 873 Covid-19 jabs being administered in total.
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Source: Briefly News
