A source from the University Hospital Center Lisbon North (CHLN), which manages the Hospital Santa Maria, said that the contingency plan for the response to Covid-19 patients, as of 12 July, has 42 beds available in the ward and 19 in the ICU.

With capacity to anticipate the needs registered during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Hospital de Santa Maria has "in progress the expansion of its response, in the short term, in the ward and in the ICU", pointing out as "very likely" that the expansion happens during this week.

Speaking to Lusa News Agency, a CHLN source said that the opening of another ward, with 21 beds, is planned, which will join the two wards already available (each with the capacity to accommodate 21 patients), increasing to 63 the total number of beds.

Regarding the response to Covid-19 patients in the ICU, the capacity building will be “according to needs”.

As of 12 July, Santa Maria Hospital has 39 Covid-19 patients admitted to the ward, which represents 92.8 percent of the available capacity, and 18 in the ICU, which corresponds to 94.7 percent of the occupancy limit, according to CHLN data, noting that "there are variations in the level of occupation throughout the day”.

Regarding the age of admitted Covid-19 patients, the CHLN stated that “the average is 55 years old”, specifying that in the ward the average is 59 years old and in the ICU it is 50 years old, according to data recorded last week.

The same source highlighted "the rejuvenation of the average age of inpatients", adding that "the majority are patients who have not been vaccinated".

Based on accumulated data from the 4th wave of the pandemic, from the end of May until the end of last week, a source from the CHLN indicated that, of the patients admitted to Hospital de Santa Maria, 66 percent have had no vaccine and the remaining 33 percent received at least one dose of vaccine, of which 5 percent had full vaccination with both doses, but within two weeks of inoculation.

Photo:Ivendrell

Patients hospitalized with full vaccination, but without the 14 days after the completion of the vaccination schedule, which guarantees greater immunity, are “sporadic cases” and who received health care in the ward.