Coronavirus: Health minister says hospital situation manageable

The health minister met with top officials to set out a plan for ICU capacity while a second high dependency unit has been in operation at Famagusta Hospital to meet increased needs for Covid-19 patients since last week.

Famagusta Hospital scientific director Amalia Hadjiyianni told the Cyprus News Agency on Wednesday that this brings the total number of high dependency beds there to 12.

Separately, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas met with permanent secretary of the health ministry Christina Yiannaki on Wednesday – and has done so for the past month on a regular basis – who warned that beds in the private sector are “not limitless”.

Yiannaki said that since the outbreak of the pandemic the state health services have referred 430 patients to private hospitals and about 45 to the ICUs.

There are currently 25 patients receiving ICU treatment in the private sector.

Hadjipantelas said that Wednesday’s meeting focused on the number of units available and to draw up a programme for the days ahead.

He told the press after the meeting that the situation was manageable and the number of patients has decreased significantly – about 70 – over the past week.

As of Wednesday night there are 223 Covid-19 patients in hospital of whom 90 are in serious condition.

After the meeting, Yiannaki was asked about the Delta variant also hitting the vaccinated.

“Yes but not to such a severe extent as in those who are unvaccinated,” she said.

The Famagusta facility is treating 56 Covid-19 patients, which is the reference hospital for coronavirus in Cyprus, the youngest aged 34 and the oldest 92. The average age is 62.

Of the 56 patients, 11 are vaccinated, she added.

Hadjiyianni said as the dominance of the Delta variant leads to a rapid deterioration in the health of Covid patients there was a greater need for close monitoring in high dependence or even intensive care units. “It is exactly for this reason that it became necessary to increase the high dependency beds at the reference hospital.”

The Eden rehabilitation centre in Tersefanou is currently hosting 135 people who will remain there until they test negative.