New research suggests that four times as many patients with COVID-19 were admitted to intensive care during the third wave of the virus in Australia compared to the first two combined.
Key points:
- A higher proportion of patients with COVID needed ventilation and eventually died in the third wave.
- The Monash University study collected data from 78 hospitals and 2,493 patients admitted to 59 ICUs
- There are about 227,000 active cases nationwide, most since June 7
A higher proportion of patients between late June and early November last year required ventilation and eventually a higher percentage of them died.
The hospital mortality study was conducted by Monash University in conjunction with the Intensive Care Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared along with the management and outcomes of ICU virus patients during the three pandemic waves.
Data were collected from 78 hospitals and 2,493 patients admitted to 59 intensive care units in total.
About 214, or nine percent, entered the spotlight in early 2020.
Between July 2020 and the end of June last year, 296 more, or 12 percent, and 1,983, or 80 percent, were admitted during the third wave between then and November.
More than 19 percent of total ICU beds were occupied by patients with COVID during the third wave. (ABC Melbourne: Kristian Silva)
The proportion without coexisting diseases was higher during the third wave, with 41%, compared to 32% of the first and 29% of the second.
Similarly, more than 19 percent of total ICU beds were occupied by patients with COVID during the third wave, while less than three percent were occupied during the first and just under five percent during the second.
Increased mortality
Ventilation was also the most used during the final wave.
Thirty patients (14%) died in hospital during the first wave, 35 (12%) in the second, and 281 (17%) during the third.
“After adjusting for age, disease severity, and other covariates, the risk of hospital mortality was similar for the first and second waves, but 9.60 percentage points higher during the third wave than the first,” the researchers concluded.
There are about 227,000 active COVID cases nationwide.
Because the Delta variant was more virulent than previous strains and therefore more likely to require intensive care, they suggested that this was an explanation for their findings.
“It was also more communicable and more likely to cause serious illness in younger people than previous strains that had been more threatening to people over 60,” said study leader Dr. Husna Begum.
“We found that the average age of patients decreased in all three waves, as did the proportion with multiple other medical conditions.
“The findings reinforce the need to provide adequate resources and support to ICUs, especially in times of unusually high demand.”
Over the weekend there were almost 50,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 82 deaths in Australia.
There are about 227,000 active cases nationwide, the highest score since June 7.
There are also more than 3,100 patients in hospital care, most in five weeks.