[New crown pneumonia] 74% of negative pressure isolation rooms are used. Hospital Authority is paralyzed like foreign hospitals

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Written by: Chen Qianting

2020-03-29 19:48

The number of confirmed new cases of coronavirus pneumonia (commonly known as Wuhan pneumonia) has been doubled in Hong Kong recently. There have been 59 new cases at noon today (29th) and a total of 642 (including 641 confirmed and 1 suspected). Ho Wanxia, ​​Chief Administrative Manager (Patient Safety and Risk Management) of the Hospital Authority, revealed that the use rates of isolation beds and isolation wards have reached 62% and 74%, respectively, and she acknowledged that "the hospitalization volume is explosive", although 400 converted materials are expected next week "Second-line isolation beds" can be used, but she said that if the increase in confirmed cases continues, she is worried that even second-line wards will soon be full and that Hong Kong may be paralyzed like a foreign hospital.

She revealed that experts are studying to transfer stable patients to second-line wards. If patients with improved symptoms, no fever, and no need for early oxygen are transferred, first-line isolation rooms can be vacated for new patients, and they will also be used in various cases. Networking to find more adaptable wards to meet demand.

Chief Executive Manager (Patient Safety and Risk Management) of Hospital Authority He Wanxia (Photo by Yu Junliang)

He Wanxia, ​​the chief administrative manager of the Hospital Authority, announced at a press conference that 204 suspected cases of infection have been received in the past 24 hours. Together with the previous cases, a total of 540 patients still need to be treated in isolation. In terms of confirmed cases, 430 patients are still hospitalized in public hospitals, of which 4 are in critical condition and the other 5 are in serious condition. As of 12:00 noon today, the Hospital Authority has opened 1,012 negative-pressure beds, with a utilization rate of 62%; and opened 534 negative-pressure wards, with a utilization rate of 74%.

The first disclosure of the distribution of more than a thousand negative pressure beds, only more than 800 beds are reserved for adults with milder illness

He Wanxia explained that of the more than 1,000 negative pressure beds, 66 isolation beds belonged to the intensive care unit, and there were 122 pediatric isolation beds, that is, only about 800 beds were left for stable patients. She described "the amount of hospitalization really is "It's explosive" and the negative pressure room needs to be thoroughly cleaned after use. Therefore, some confirmed patients need to wait for the beds before they can be admitted to the hospital. The Hospital Authority apologizes for this.

Recently, the Hospital Authority repeatedly mentioned that the general ward is being converted into a second-line isolation ward, which is expected to provide 400 beds. He Wanxia is expected to open it next week, but she pointed out that if the rate of new cases is maintained at the daily rate Ten cases, even the second-tier wards, will soon be full, worried that even if they try hard to add extra beds, they will not be able to meet the demand, and the HA will not want to see paralysis like a foreign hospital.

Experts discuss or divert stable patients to second-tier wards

He Wanxia revealed that infectious disease experts and the Center for Health Protection are discussing how to divert patients with a stable condition, and are studying to transfer these patients to the second-line ward first, to free up the first-line ward for newly diagnosed patients. She emphasized that the equipment in the second-line ward is the same line of isolation rooms, and the protective equipment worn by the medical staff working in the same level is the same. Wire room.

She expects that 400 second-line isolation beds converted from ordinary beds will be launched next week, but the authorities are still inquiring about the capacity of the connected hospitals in order to find more ward conversions to second-line wards.

Overseas studies show that patients have only virus genes in their bodies, not live viruses, on the 10th day after infection

He Wanxia quoted a German study that found that the viral load of some patients was relatively high in the first week after infection, but began to decline by the second week. Although these patients still had viral genes in their bodies after the 10th day, they had undergone virus cultivation. No virus can be planted, that is, not necessarily a live virus in the body. He continued that the HA will continue to work with experts to study overseas scientific evidence, including the spread of coronavirus in the body and corresponding testing methods. Hope to have more data to learn how to deal with patients, and find it in the current shortage of beds New way out.

As for when new measures will be implemented to transfer mild patients to second-tier wards, He Wanxia said that experts are still in discussions and that news will be proactively announced.

▼ Outbreak of global pandemic in Hong Kong is waiting ▼

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