Coronavirus: 28 more beds deployed at Larnaca hospital

Health authorities have deployed an additional 28 beds at Larnaca hospital’s fifth floor that will be used for the treatment of Covid patients whose numbers are expected to rise in the coming days.

The state health services organisation (Okypy) is bracing for a rise in numbers, as infections during the holidays meant that at least some would end up in hospital.

“We expect that this week and the next there will be an increase in admissions. Currently there are 205 and by January 31 there could be 240 or 250, some 45 or 50 of whom will be in high dependency units. After that we expect a decrease,” Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said, expressing hope the organisation’s forecasts on the higher numbers is proved wrong.

Larnaca hospital pulmonologist Ioannis Demetriades, said they had turned the surgical ward into a Covid clinic with 28 beds while the orthopaedic ward was also available if more beds were required.

“We have already secured medical and nursing staff and installation of equipment is expected to be completed by tomorrow morning,” Demetriades said.

The hospital’s medical director said the clinic was set up in very little time.

Paediatrician Adamos Hadjipanayis said the wing was completely isolated and people visiting the hospital can rest assured that they were not in any risk.

The Cyprus News Agency reported that the hospital’s A&E has been divided into two departments – one to handle suspected Covid cases and the other to treat emergencies.

People visiting the A&E with symptoms will be assessed by a nurse at the entrance and escorted if necessary, through a separate entrance to the section for possible Covid cases.

The Covid clinic on the fifth floor will also have a high dependency unit. Each room will host two to four patients whose vitals will be monitored from a central station.

Patients needing intubation will be transferred to an ICU in Nicosia or Limassol general hospitals.