There are no signs of easing in local hospitals in the coming weeks. The corona wave is now also beginning to show itself in the hospital figures. The number of patients is growing, especially in normal wards – in the worst case, it could be twice as many in two weeks. At the same time, however, the number of hospital staff is declining, not least due to numerous unplanned absences.
It can be assumed that “a further significant increase in normal health coverage will continue, with Covid coverage in the IC area remaining virtually unchanged,” the experts of the Covid Prediction Consortium write. On Wednesday, 1,773 patients had to be treated in normal wards across Austria, and for next Wednesday the experts predict 1,992 to 2,625 hospitalized corona-infected people (2,287 on average).
In the worst case, patients double in normal wards
An increase of about 52 percent is expected in two weeks. On October 19, 2121 to 3,428 beds are expected to be occupied in normal wards across Austria (average value: 2696). By comparison, at the height of the autumn wave last year – the country was then in an Austrian lockdown – on November 28, 2767 infected people needed a normal bed.
At that time, there were 630 seriously ill people in intensive care. There, an average of 93 IC patients are predicted next Wednesday, for October 19 the experts expect between 75 and 122 seriously ill, the average is given as 95.
High rate of accidental corona findings
However, it is emphasized that there is currently a very high rate of incidental Covid findings among those hospitalized. According to the Covid-19 registry, only about 22 percent of those currently hospitalized with Covid-19 symptoms were admitted as of last Thursday’s data. In intensive care this share was only twelve percent.
At the same time, the experts warn of staff shortages in hospitals. Because the “increased infection pressure is currently also translating into above-average unplanned staff absences”, that would be more than six percent on average for all hospital staff in Austria. The rate of unplanned staff absences is usually less than five percent and has sometimes been over ten percent during the previous peaks of the Covid-19 pandemic, it said.
Upward trend in infections is slowing
As for the number of cases – the seven-day incidence was already 952.6 on Tuesday – a sharp increase in the majority of the age groups is to be expected. The latest available wastewater data confirm a sharply increasing trend in corona infections. However, the upward trend has weakened in recent days and the seven-day incidence in the five to 14-year-old age group is decreasing, according to the experts.
Smoke rows back
Several scientists have already spoken out in favor of reintroducing the mask requirement. But that will only happen if the situation in the hospitals “escalates, becomes imminent, an emergency occurs”, Johannes Rauch (Greens) said in the “ZiB2” interview on Tuesday evening. He rowed back for the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Currently, “the situation is such that it is easily ‘tradable'”, the minister said. In any case, he is in constant contact with the experts.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
