WILLEMSTAD - Up until now, 28 COVID0-19 patients have been admitted to the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC). Eight of them are in the intensive care unit. The hospital has reached the ceiling of its capacity. The hospital cannot handle a new wave of corona infections. This was announced by the general manager Gilbert Martina.
ICU patients without Covid-19 are divided into two other departments. According to Martina, the outside world cannot imagine the impact the pandemic has on hospital staff. The CMC employees are physically and mentally tired, the general manager said.
Overweight, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are common in Curaçao. For example, an overweight patient should be turned over several times a day. This relieves the pressure on the lungs. This is better for the patient's breathing. To be able to lay a patient weighing more than 100 kilograms on his side, six members of the nursing staff are needed. This is therefore labor-intensive, explains Martina.
Of the 270 people hospitalized because of corona between July 20 and January 3, only fourteen had been fully vaccinated. That means that 94.8 percent of Covid-related hospital patients were not (fully) protected against the virus. In total, there are currently 4,757 active corona cases on the island.
According to Martina, it is important that the hospital cooperates with the government. Each party has its own responsibility. The hospital director pointed out the consequences of the high number of infections in Curaçao for the economy. The two airlines Air Belgium and Air Canada have already announced that they will stop their weekly flights to the island.