Dödligt virus från Kina orsakar panik (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19)

The growing number of coronavirus patients has forced several hospitals across Belgium to reduce, cancel and postpone non-urgent operations to free up resources.
Due to an influx of patients with Covid-19 in the last 48 hours, University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven) had “to reduce a limited number of non-emergency surgical procedures,” Sara Van Daele, Spokesperson for UZ Leuven told CNN.
“We aim to guarantee the regular patient care and planned procedures as much as possible,” Van Daele said, adding, “however, the increasing number of COVID patients inevitably impacts surgical procedures and the capacity of our ICU.”
In a statement, Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen the largest hospital network in Belgium said, “Planned operations are being carried out,” but that the network is, “not scheduling some non-urgent operations.”
In Brussels, which has recorded the highest rate of infection, one hospital is already at capacity, “We have enough beds available to take care of Covid-patients but because we have reached maximum capacity in our ICU Covid, we cannot accept new Covid patients,” Florence Feys, Spokesperson for Cliniques Saint-Jean in Brussels told CNN.
The situation in the Northeast of Belgium is similar. CHU de Liège is “already full with existing and Covid patients which is increasing each day,” Louis Maraite Director of Communications for CHU de Liège told CNN. To reduce the pressure and concentrate the priorities of the nursing staff, we are cancelling 30% immediately, but in the next few days it will be up to 70percent of our non-essential surgical cases,” added Maraite.
On average, over 4,000 people are testing positive for Covid-19, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic according to the latest figures published by the Belgian public health authority, Sciensano.
Over the seven-day period from Oct. 2 to Oct. 8, on average 4,153 people tested positive, this is an increase of 89% from the week before.