PMH at capacity with COVID-19 patients

Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Administrator Mary Walker said yesterday the hospital has been at capacity with COVID-19 patients in recent days, as cases and resulting hospitalizations and deaths have continued to increase.

“Over the last five to seven days, we are at capacity at Princess Margaret Hospital and the more severe persons are actually being taken care of for ventilated purposes at Doctors Hospital West,”Walker said at a press conference.

“South Beach as well had two ventilated patients over the last 72 hours.”

Earlier this week, former Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands warned that more restrictions might be necessary on New Providence to curb the spread of the virus, as was recently done on Bimini following a surge in cases. 

From June 28 to July 4, 303 new cases were confirmed in The Bahamas, the majority of which were recorded on New Providence.

Hospitalized cases also significantly increased, from 38 people in hospital with COVID-19 on June 28, to 59 people on July 4.

Minister of Health Renward Wells, however, said yesterday no decisions have been made on increasing mitigation measures.

“We, the Cabinet of The Bahamas, the competent authority, we follow the recommendations of our health team at the Ministry of Health,” Wells said.

“There are constant meetings during the week as to our circumstance, existing situation with regards to COVID in the country. And those updates forwarded onto the Cabinet of The Bahamas by this minister are taken into consideration and based on what we perceive as both in our national interest from the standpoint of health, protecting the health and the livelihood of the Bahamian people economically as well, decisions are made as to how we will proceed in regards to emergency orders and health protocols.”

Even though the country is facing a shortage of COVID vaccine doses, Wells maintained that vaccination is the solution to the issue and urged more people to get vaccinated.

“I would simply say this, as I continue to say to the Bahamian people, we have the solution for what ails us in this country,” he said.

“We did not have it during the first wave. We did not have it during the second wave.

“We have it during this third wave. It is called vaccination. And so, I’m going to continue to say to the Bahamian people the evidence is out there. We have 3.5 billion people on this planet who would have taken at least one shot of a vaccine.

“There are about 7.4 billion people on this planet, and at least 3.5 billion of them would have taken a vaccine. And for those who would have taken a vaccine, the evidence is clear. If you do contract COVID having taken a vaccine, your likelihood of being hospitalized is dramatically reduced and your chances of dying from the disease is almost nil.

“And so, I’m saying to the Bahamian people as we have been saying since March when the government of The Bahamas secured vaccines, go get vaccinated, please.”

Walker also emphasized the importance of vaccination. 

“Our clinical teams are indicating that the vast majority of persons that we are seeing currently in Princess Margaret Hospital and South Beach Health Centre, they are not vaccinated,” she said.

“These are the persons that are in the hospital right now currently receiving care.

“There is a minority, I would say about two percent that would have had just one [dose], but the vast majority of persons that we are dealing with in the Princess Margaret Hospital and the South Beach Health Centre have not had any vaccination.” 

Walker added, “So, indeed it is very critical that we ensure that persons can protect themselves. Vaccinate. You will be protecting yourselves and your loved ones.”

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/pmh-at-capacity-with-covid-19-patients/