Hospitals in Brussels-Capital region are once again able to transfer Coronavirus patients to other regions for treatment, Dr Philippe Peetrons, head doctor at the Iris-Sud Hospitals, said on Saturday.
Permission to do the transfers has been granted by the Public Health Department following a request by the region’s hospitals.“We made the request because many intensive care units in Brussels are overloaded,” Dr Peetrons said.
"At the Brugmann Hospital, the Iris-Sud Hospitals and Saint-Luc, about half the intensive-care patients are Covid patients,” he explained. “Half of the intake capacity in Intensive Care has also been attained at Erasme and Saint-Pierre University Hospital since these hospitals are currently short-staffed for a variety of reasons. “In Chirec, Intensive Care is practically filled with Covid patients.”
“The Public Health Department confirmed to us on Saturday that transfers will again be possible from Monday,” Dr Peetrons said. “The situation is better in the other provinces. According to the latest data available, there are about 80 hospitals there with practically no patients in intensive care units.”
Brussels hospitals that have asked to be allowed to transfer patients also include UZ Brussel, according to spokesperson, Karolien De Prez.
“However, we continue to admit patients,” she said. “Transfers are done to spread the workload over many hospitals. At UZ Brussel, there are currently 15 confirmed Covid patients in intensive care, including three on ventilators while one is being assisted by a heart-lung machine.”
The Brussels Times
