Bangkok public hospitals run low on beds for Covid-19 patients in critical condition

In the midst of the most severe wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, public hospitals in Bangkok are running extremely low on available beds for patients in critical condition. Covid-19 patients with severe symptoms occupy all but 20 of the beds. Health authorities say they must keep 20 beds open for those who need emergency treatment.

Bangkok is the epicentre in the recent wave of infections with more than 60,000 cases reported since April 1. In Bangkok and surrounding provinces, more than 1,000 new cases have been reported each day.

With the daily Covid case count still high in the capital and surrounding areas, Department of Medical Services director-general Somsak Akksilp the available beds with life-saving equipment is extremely limited, especially for patients who are classified in the “yellow” and “red” groups. Patients classified in the red group have serious symptoms while patients in the yellow group have moderate symptoms, but are at risk of developing a severe condition.

On Monday, 409 of the 429 critical care unit beds at Bangkok state-run hospitals were occupied with Covid-19 patients in critical condition. Somsak says the last 20 beds must be reserved for emergencies. For patients in the yellow group, 3,937 beds are occupied and only 300 beds are available.

The outbreak in Bangkok is reaching a “critical point” with hospitals overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients, deputy dean of Siriraj Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine, Adune Ratanawichitrasin, wrote in a Facebook post, urging Thai authorities to step up.

“Worse, the source of infection for numerous new Covid-19 cases cannot be clearly identified, which is an indicator the virus has taken hold in many communities.”

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the Public Health Ministry to make sure there were enough beds available for Covid-19 patients in need of medical treatment.

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SOURCE: Bangkok Post