Covid Testing Unit, Balearic Islands.

Covid Testing Unit, Balearic Islands. recent photo. | Daniel Espinosa

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterBalearic Islands30/01/2021 10:54
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More than 100 people died from coronavirus in the Balearic Islands in January and 585 have perished since the pandemic began.

The good news is that there’s been a 25% drop in the cumulative incidence of cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days since last week, taking it from 552.3 cases to 413.6, according to the latest Epidemiology Report.

But there are still some hotspots that are causing concern, particularly Ibiza where the cumulative incidence rate has soared to 2,402 and Formentera where it’s 1,271.

Ibiza

IB-Salut is desperately looking for ICU professionals to strengthen staff in ​​Ibiza where the situation is critical. 198 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed on Friday, around 8% of them will end up in hospital and 1% will be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

Around 15 coronavirus patients are being hospitalised every day with 2 or 3 admitted to the ICU and more beds are being added to areas of Can Misses Hospital to accommodate them.

The biggest promlem is lack of staff. 190 Healthcare Professionals are either infected with coronavirus or have been in close contact with someone who’s tested positive so they’re unable to work.

29 Healthcare Professionals from Mallorca and Minorca are already working in Ibiza and 8 more from Mallorca and 3 from Minorca will arrive next week.

Two 061 Intensive Care physicians have also been drafted in to help, but with 144 on the coronavirus ward and 15 in the ICU, Can Misses Hospital is struggling to cope.

“The situation is tense and there is a severe lack of Healthcare Professionals, so 3 patients are being transferred to Son Espases Hospital" said Area Manager, Carmen Santos.

Staff shortages were a huge problem during the second wave, which is why Son Espases Hospital, the Nursing Union, and IB-Salut are giving Healthcare Professionals training in ICU care and specialists from other services have been called in to strengthen staffing in the Critical Care Unit.

Vaccine

IB-Salut says the weekly deliveries of 5,850 Pfizer vaccine doses will continue but it expects shipments to increase from February 15.

As of Friday, 25,359 of the 30,210 received had been administered and 4,226 residents and workers at Nursing Homes have received two doses.