Corfu Hospital Covid Unit under pressure
COVID-19
16 Aug 2021
/ 12:02
CORFU. 40% increase in the number of hospitalisations in the Special Infectious Disease Unit - just 5 beds left available.
There has been a 40% increase in the number of patients hospitalised in Corfu Hospital Special Infectious Diseases Unit compared to last week as the number of cases continues to increase.
There are 21 patients in the Unit at the moment with 5 new admissions between yesterday evening and late last night alone!
The majority of patients are local Greek residents with just one tourist hospitalised. An 82-year-old Corfu woman is also hospitalised in the ICU. According to hospital sources, most patients are unvaccinated and cover an age range from 21 to 85, with the average age being 50-55.
There are now just 5 beds available in the Special Infectious Diseases Unit, putting the hospital under pressure with the new admissions, and there is concern about pressure being put on the hospital with the increased spread of virus in the younger age-groups.
The average hospitalisation duration is 7 days and more - which also creates concern about being able to handle new admissions.
Concern about the spread of the virus amongst the young
According to the Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health Costas Zorbas, it is not so much the number of cases as the spread of the virus amongst the young in Corfu that is causing concern. "The number of cases announced is not so great," he said, "given that in the tourist season the population in Corfu is four times more than it normally is. Consequently, 60 cases in a population of 450,000 is not a large number.
"However, what we are worried about is the fact that, although initially the cases were amongst visitors, we now have infections amongst locals aged 18-30." He added that a drop in numbers was expected after 25 August when there won't be so many visitors on the island.
The Deputy Governor said that both quarantine hotels are being used to accommodate confirmed cases and close contacts. According to Mr. Zorbas, both hotels are being used according to the location of the tourists and pointed out that there are several rooms available at both properties.
There are 21 patients in the Unit at the moment with 5 new admissions between yesterday evening and late last night alone!
The majority of patients are local Greek residents with just one tourist hospitalised. An 82-year-old Corfu woman is also hospitalised in the ICU. According to hospital sources, most patients are unvaccinated and cover an age range from 21 to 85, with the average age being 50-55.
There are now just 5 beds available in the Special Infectious Diseases Unit, putting the hospital under pressure with the new admissions, and there is concern about pressure being put on the hospital with the increased spread of virus in the younger age-groups.
The average hospitalisation duration is 7 days and more - which also creates concern about being able to handle new admissions.
Concern about the spread of the virus amongst the young
According to the Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health Costas Zorbas, it is not so much the number of cases as the spread of the virus amongst the young in Corfu that is causing concern. "The number of cases announced is not so great," he said, "given that in the tourist season the population in Corfu is four times more than it normally is. Consequently, 60 cases in a population of 450,000 is not a large number.
"However, what we are worried about is the fact that, although initially the cases were amongst visitors, we now have infections amongst locals aged 18-30." He added that a drop in numbers was expected after 25 August when there won't be so many visitors on the island.
The Deputy Governor said that both quarantine hotels are being used to accommodate confirmed cases and close contacts. According to Mr. Zorbas, both hotels are being used according to the location of the tourists and pointed out that there are several rooms available at both properties.
