Portugal close to running out of ICU beds for COVID patients
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LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal said on Saturday it only had seven vacant beds left in intensive care units (ICUs) set up for COVID-19 cases on its mainland, as a surge in infections prompted the authorities to send some critical patients to Portuguese islands.
Health Ministry data showed that, out of 850 ICU beds allocated to COVID-19 cases on its mainland, a record 843 beds were now occupied. The nation of 10 million people has an additional 420 ICU beds for those with other ailments.
The ministry said the number of daily infections was 12,435, dipping from Thursday’s record, while there were 293 deaths.
Portugal, which has so far reported a total of 12,179 COVID-19 deaths and 711,018 cases, has the world’s highest seven-day rolling average of cases and deaths per capita.
Photo – Elements of National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) staff prepare for the pre-screening of patients upon arrival at Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, 29 January 2021. On 28 January evening in declarations to journalists, the president of the board of directors of Northern Lisbon University Hospital Center, announced that from 29 January a pre-screening of patients will be done to try to avoid so many ambulances stopped outside the hospital. EPA-EFE/TIAGO PETINGA
