Covid-19 places are far from saturated in Brussels hospitals, which are strengthening their reception capacity in anticipation of the massive arrival of people seriously infected with coronavirus, according to a probe carried out on Thursday in several large hospitals in the region. At the Delta hospital, five people tested positive for Covid-19 and 24 suspected of being affected were counted on Thursday. Among these patients, two positive cases and two suspected cases are managed in intensive care. “We have several hundred beds available since the activity of hospitals has been drastically reduced, but the problem is at the level of places in intensive care”, explains the administrative and financial director of the Interregional Hospital Center Edith Cavel (Chirec ), Dr Benoît Debande. “We need respirators, but also personnel capable of operating them. We are training.”
Places are however far from being saturated at present. “One has the impression of knowing the calm sea before the tsunami”, continues Dr. Benoît Debande. “We have seen the number of patients increase in the past few days. We must be at the dawn of the tsunami. We have organized and we are ready, but we are a little awaiting the wave. The concern is to know how high it will be and hold the length. ” He noted that the rate of absenteeism is also increasing among staff, but that there is not at the moment a problem of lack of staff. He also specifies that the masks are reserved in priority for the staff who need them most while waiting for orders to arrive to replenish stocks.
“The number of patients positive for coronavirus has been gradually increasing, as in other hospitals, over the past few days,” said Sylvain Bayet, communications officer at Saint-Luc university clinics. “As provided in the PUH plan, the hospital emergency plan, launched last Saturday, we are strengthening our reception capacity for these patients, but the situation is under control and there is no risk of saturation for the moment”. On Thursday, six patients were in intensive care in some 50 places available, to which are added 15 patients in the two Covid-19 units.
At CHU Saint-Pierre, patients affected, or suspected of being affected, by the Covid-19 went from 10 to 20 from Wednesday to Thursday. They are over 75, except for a slightly younger senior who suffers from other health problems. On Thursday, 11 of them were in intensive care and nine were in the unit dedicated to the virus which currently has 35 beds.
As of Friday morning, 11 people confirmed for Covid-19 and 26 suspected of being infected were hospitalized at Erasme hospital.
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