From Adelaide to Perth, the increase in COVID-19 in the winter is being felt strongly, with hospital rooms overflowing and paramedics in crisis.
Nurses sound the alarm in Perth’s overflowing hospital wards, alleging that the new wave of coronavirus caused patients to be treated in the hallways.
Staff say hospital executives are instructing staff to care for the sick and injured in the hallways because there is no room.
Nurses say patients are being treated in the corridors of Perth Hospital. (new)
A record 377 patients were in WA hospitals with COVID-19 on Sunday, 26 more than the day before.
WA Liberal leader David Honey called the allegations “shameful.”
The head of the Australian Nursing Federation, Mark Olsen, said nurses were concerned and called for the return of mask rules.
“Our members are terrified that their record is in jeopardy because they are being asked to care for too many patients at once,” Olsen said.
“I hope we get through the winter before our health care system collapses.”
Prime Minister Mark McGowan is encouraging the masks to work inside, but has not forced their use.
WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson defended the health director’s advice to facilitate COVID-19 testing in hospitals.
“Infection control is important, but we also need to help healthcare workers process patients safely and quickly through the emergency department,” he said.
Meanwhile, an increase in the number of health workers hiring COVID-19 has forced the South Australian state ambulance service to enter crisis mode.
More than 80 ambulance workers are isolated, leaving dozens of ambulances unmanned and unable to answer emergency calls.
An ambulance took 15 minutes to arrive after a person was hit by a car this weekend.
At the same time as that accident, the Ambulance Service SA was forced to declare an emergency a “first-rate incident” for lack of resources.
There were 18 of the 32 unmanned ambulances overnight.
Josh Karpowicz, of the Ambulance Employees Association, said the number of sick workers had doubled in weeks.
“The South Australian community is at significant risk due to impacts on patient safety, with negligible resources and the ambulance service is unable to meet response times for life-threatening cases,” he said .
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This week, 32 new ambulance graduates will hit the road as part of the state government’s $ 124 million hiring process to alleviate staff shortages.