Victoria’s hospitals strain under ‘extraordinary’ demand as Covid cases surge

Authorities address concerns over 10-minute wait times on triple zero calls while staff reportedly struggle with workload

One of Victoria’s largest public hospitals has been forced to close its Covid screening clinic and divert resources to emergency and intensive care patients, as the state’s health system strains under pressure from a surge in cases.

The Royal Melbourne hospital confirmed the closure of its Covid testing clinic on Tuesday. The RMH chief medical officer, Dr Cate Kelly, said the demand on emergency meant the hospital had been forced to close the public clinic. The hospital has four Covid wards, plus the intensive care unit, between them managing 77 Covid-positive patients.

Continue reading...

Coronavirus | The Guardian

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Coronavirus live news: Japan towns abandon plans to accept overseas Olympic athletes

India reports 362,727 new infections, 4,120 deaths ; 40 towns in Japan decide not to accept overseas athletes ahead of olympics ; ‘Increasing concern’ over India variant in UK says Boris Johnson Boris Johnson under fire for delaying Covid public inquiry until 2022 UK: Reports that Sage will meet on Thursday to discuss India variant Scores more bodies of suspected Covid victims found in Indian rivers See all our coronavirus coverage 6.42am BST Coronavirus infections in England halved in recent months, according to a study, but concerns remain about the threat from new variants, PA reports. Prevalence of infections dropped by 50% between March and early May, and is at its lowest since August, new data suggests. But the figures come amid a warning from Boris Johnson that new variants “pose a potentially lethal danger”. The Prime Minister said there is “increasing concern” in the UK about the variant first identified in India. Professor Paul Elliott, director of Imperial Colle...
Read more

NSW Covid update: 65 new cases as GP clinics and pharmacies drive new spread of virus

Gladys Berejiklian says people should call ahead before visiting health services and warns of higher numbers tomorrow Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Latest NSW lockdown rules explained Full list of Covid exposure sites and hotspots in Sydney Download the free Guardian news app ; Get our morning email briefing People visiting GP clinics and pharmacies while infected have been identified as a new driver of the spread of Covid, particularly in south-west Sydney, prompting the premier to urge people to stay at home and call ahead before visiting health services. Cases announced today also include a Covid-positive patient who attended Liverpool hospital, and a staff member at Chris O’Brien Life House, a cancer centre in Sydney’s inner west. The latter case was picked up during routine testing of staff, and further urgent testing is under way. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian
Read more

Ministers accused of sowing confusion over England’s travel advice

Government criticised for sending out mixed messages about traffic-light system for foreign travel Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Ministers have been accused of sowing confusion over what foreign travel is permitted for people in England after sending out mixed messages relating to its traffic light system. On Wednesday, the education minister Gillian Keegan urged people to be “sensible” and not travel to “amber list” countries for holidays, but her comments followed differing advice the day before. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian
Read more