Only 3 ‘beds for severe patients’ in Seoul … “If the proliferation tax cannot be defeated, the medical system collapses”

With more than 200 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in Seoul for a week, the bed shortage is becoming a reality. Dedicated infectious disease hospital beds for inpatients had a margin of around 70% just a month ago, but have now dropped to 17%. In Seoul there are only three treatment beds left for seriously ill patients.

Changes in the number of specialized treatment beds for seriously ill patients in Seoul. Graphic = Younghee Kim [email protected]

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 10th, there were 251 new confirmed cases of Corona 19 in Seoul the previous day, continuing to 200 on the 8th. This is because the group infection continues in daily life. On the 9th, 11 additional confirmations were received, mainly from visitors to the ‘Pagoda Town’ restaurant in Jongno-gu, their families and acquaintances, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases increased to 180. In the Namdaemun Market shopping district in Jung- gu, 8 confirmed cases were added, resulting in a cumulative number of 34.

Also, confirmed by various channels, such as 3 saunas in Dongjak-gu (33 people accumulated), 1 dance class facility in Gangseo-gu (203 people accumulated), 2 sports facilities in Dongdaemun-gu (15 people accumulated), 2 people in Yeongdeungpo-gu church (16 people accumulated). Was added. The number of cases of infection after contacting existing confirmed patients was 118 yesterday alone, and the number of confirmed cases whose route of infection is unknown so far increased by 64.

The hospital bed utilization rate for hospitals dedicated to infectious diseases increased in one month. Graphic = Younghee Kim [email protected]

On the 9th, 38.9% of the nationally confirmed cases (646 people) left Seoul, and the number of infected patients increased significantly and hospital beds in Seoul were filling rapidly. As of day 9, the hospital bed utilization rate for infectious diseases for patients requiring inpatient treatment was 83%. Considering that the rate of use of beds on the 8th of last month was 29.4%, the rate of use increased 53.6% points in one month.

In particular, only three treatment beds were left for seriously ill patients to be used by patients with severe symptoms. 59 of 62 are in use. The Life Therapy Center, a quarantine facility for mild patients or confirmed asymptomatic patients, is in use for 1,120 (57.8%) of 1,937 beds in 9 locations. There are only 428 (22.1%) beds available immediately.

Due to the lack of beds, the number of “waiting patients” who waited at home without being assigned a bed increased among the new confirmed patients. The number of waiting patients from 140 on day 7 decreased to 125 on day 8 and increased to 157 on day 9. On day 8, Seoul National University Hospital opened a life treatment center with a size of 340 beds , so there’s plenty of room, but it seems to be struggling.

On the morning of the 9th, a container-type treatment space is being installed at the Seoul Medical Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will install a container treatment space at the Seoul Medical Center until the 10th to be used for the treatment of mild and severe patients among confirmed patients. [뉴스1]

The city of Seoul is mobilizing to secure hospital beds. Seoul National Health Bureau Director Park Yoomi said: “In the case of critically ill patients, we are in talks with the Security and Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters to convert 20 of the state-designated quarantine beds into Seoul in dedicated beds for seriously ill patients. ” “We are also talking with two advanced hospitals about adding special beds for seriously ill patients.”

‘Container-type mobile beds’ will also be installed in the idle spaces of municipal hospitals. 48 facilities will be installed at the Seoul Medical Center on the 10th as facilities for the recovery of patients who have received COVID-19 treatment at a hospital dedicated to infectious diseases. It is a measure based on the judgment that it is impossible to wait alone to secure an official bed in a situation where new confirmed cases emerge. Director Park said, “We have secured operational medical personnel, but we plan to operate in accordance with the general demand for hospital beds in Seoul.”

There is also a plan to add a life treatment center to the autonomous district. Director Park said: “Within this week, five life treatment centers will open across the counties and all 25 counties will open next week.” In addition, the city of Seoul plans to install an additional 71 temporary screening clinics, focused on multipurpose facilities or locations with a large number of confirmed patients per region. Director Park said, “This is the biggest crisis since the outbreak of Corona 19 in Korea,” and he was concerned that “unless the proliferation trend is broken, the collapse of the medical system and social sacrifice are inevitable.”

Reporter Heo Jeong-won [email protected]

New corona 19 cases in Seoul. Graphic = Kim Eun-kyo [email protected]