According to Governor Jan Grolich, hospitals in South Moravian hospitals are experiencing a worsening crisis, and could face up to 1,000 hospitalisations by the end of the month. Grolich has therefore expressed support for a national state of emergency. Credit: JMK.
Brno, Nov 24 (BD) – The Covid situation in South Moravia has been deteriorating in recent days. There are currently more than 800 patients hospitalized for Covid-19 and more than 120 are in intensive care.
Authorities are very worried that the region’s hospitals will soon be overwhelmed, with over 1,000 hospitalisations predicted by the beginning of December, and over 200 patients in ICU. In response, 39 members of the Czech Army and eight paramedics from the South Moravian Fire Rescue Service are assisting medical personnel across the region. The South Moravian Ambulance Service, which has increased its departures by more than 35% in the last ten days, is considering activating its trauma plan. South Moravian Governor Jan Grolich (KDU-CSL) has therefore joined calls for a national state of emergency.
“We are in a crisis,” said Grolich. “This crisis situation does not only concern Moravia, but in a few days it will affect the entire Czech Republic. There is no need to declare a state of emergency at the regional level, that would mean the situation is just a local problem. Declaring a state of emergency would be a perfectly logical step by the government in the current situation.”
Unvaccinated people comprise 70% of hospitalizations. The remaining 30% of vaccinated patients in hospitals are mostly people over 75 years old with underlying health conditions. Grolich thanked everyone who has already been vaccinated and said that without them, the hospitals would already be overflowing, with many more deaths.
“The situation is still manageable in Brno, but it has worsened in the district hospitals,” he said. “Hospital directors are trying to double the vaccination capacity so that everyone can get it as soon as possible.”
