00:31 | Cusco (Cusco region), Jan. 15.
Cusco's health authorities have warned that Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at the two principal hospitals of the Andean city are full due to a spike in hospitalizations of critical COVID-19 patients.
Regional Hospital COVID-19 Area Chief Enrique Arana reported that six ICU beds are occupied by critical patients at said health care institution, as well as three out of the four beds at
Antonio Lorena Hospital.
Wilbert Pozo, head of the medical staff at Antonio Lorena Hospital, affirmed that the health facility will run out of beds if one more patient is admitted, even if referred by the Regional Hospital.
"It will be overrun if two additional COVID-19 patients come in one hour," he commented.
The number of people with symptoms of COVID-19 who go to the Regional Hospital has increased as well; for example, five or six of every seven people are hospitalized.
As of Thursday, the COVID-19 Unit —of 23 beds— had 20 patients, while 40 out of the 100 available beds at the temporary hospital had been occupied.
"Beds for moderate, intermediate, and mild patients are still available, but we are experiencing difficulties in ICU," Arana said on Thursday.
The chief of the COVID-19 Area reported that the hospital has some equipment, such as ventilators, but lacks fully equipped beds (with monitors and aspirators), ICU physicians, ICU-trained nurses, that is, the whole team, a situation that he expects will be solved in the coming hours.
(END) PHS/MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 1/15/2021