With the recent peak in the spread of the coronavirus in the Czech Republic, South Moravian hospitals are suffering from a significant lack of staff. In response, the military have been called in to help from January 4th, and students from medical high schools from January 5th. Currently, the most serious staff shortages are at the Brno University Hospital (FN Brno), where the hospitalization is at the highest level. Photo credit: FN Brno.
Czech Rep., Jan 5 (BD) – With 71,746 people new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last seven days across South Moravia, hospitals are experiencing a lack of staff in the face of an increasing number of hospitalizations. Rising infection and quarantine rates among medical staff are adding to staffing problems.
From Monday, 15 soldiers from Vyškov Military Academy have been helping at FN Brno, where the most immediate help is needed, as around 300 medical staff from this hospital are reported to be under quarantine. Other departments of the University Hospital are also being called on for help, including staff from the Children’s Hospital. FN Brno received 373 new hospitalizations over the weekend, with 66 patients currently in intensive care.
From Tuesday, some students from medical high schools in the South Moravian Region will also be deployed to work in hospitals, as approved by Deputy Governor Lukáš Dubec (Piráti).
“The work duties have been ordered due to overriding public interest, to immediately avert the danger to the lives and health of the population in connection with the ongoing emergency situation. The number of infected healthcare workers is increasing as COVID-19 spreads, and the number of currently ill or quarantined employees within the hospitals themselves is growing. Medical students can help a lot at this moment,” said Dubec.
All districts of the South Moravian Region: Blansko, Břeclav, Brno-město, Brno-venkov, Hodonín, Vyškov, and Znojmo, are in the fifth level of the Anti-Epidemic System (PES). The current number of hospitalized patients is higher than in December, yet less than in November. Out of 682 hospitalized patients, 106 are in a serious condition.
According to the number of new cases of coronavirus per week per million population, the Czech Republic has the highest number in the world, with a daily average of over 965 new cases. 12,860 cases were discovered on January 4th, taking the total number of active cases to 121,488. Currently, the most affected regions are Zlín, Vysocina, and Hradec Kralove.
