Omikron “tsunami” soon in Germany too?
If necessary, hospitals demand restrictions "very early on"
Created: 12/18/2021 Updated: 12/18/2021, 9:44 AM
From: Jonas Raab
The omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Europe.
The worries in German hospitals are growing.
The news ticker.
The Omikron variant is responsible for more and more Corona * infections in Europe.
The German Hospital Society warns of an intensive care bed situation “that goes beyond everything we have experienced so far”.
This news ticker is continuously updated.
Berlin - There is great concern about the highly contagious Corona mutation Omikron * - especially in hospitals.
If the gloomy prognoses * are confirmed, the situation in the clinics could worsen significantly, fears the German Hospital Association (DKG) and warns of a "large number of seriously ill patients".
"For the hospitals this would be a further aggravated situation that goes beyond everything that we have experienced so far," said DKG boss Gerald Gaß to the German press agency.
Gaß called on politicians to analyze the findings on Omikron from other countries "very carefully".
Should the fears be confirmed, one must counteract "very early" with contact restrictions.
Corona: Omicron variant on the advance in Europe - "Mustn't waste time"
Covid station Leipzig University Hospital (archive image) © picture alliance / dpa / dpa-Zentralbild |
Waltraud Grubitzsch
"We must then not lose any time, then we have to act immediately, even before the numbers in Germany * go up and overloading the hospitals can no longer be prevented," warned DKG boss Gaß.
The omicron variant * is currently on the advance in many countries: In Great Britain the mutation is spreading at breakneck speed;
in Scotland one speaks of an omicron "tsunami".
According to government information, more than half of the corona infections there are now due to the Omikron variant.
Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading in Europe - Denmark and Switzerland are responding
In Denmark, Omicron cases make up more than a fifth of all corona infections, which is why the RKI has classified the country as a high-risk area from Sunday (December 19).
The Danish government now wants to further restrict public life.
Switzerland is also tightening its corona rules from Monday (December 20) due to the highly contagious variant.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) expects a massive fifth wave * due to the mutation.
"We have to assume that the wave of omicons we are facing, which we cannot prevent from my point of view, will be a massive challenge for our hospitals, for our intensive care units, but also for society as a whole."
(Jo / dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA