In just one day, the total number of covid-19 cases in Skåne has increased by more than ten percent. With 1,410 new infections, the curve is pointing almost vertically upwards, shows the latest status report from Region Skåne – which is now asking private care providers for help with staff.
In total, almost fifteen thousand people from Skåne have had covid-19 since the infection reached the region in early March. More than one tenth of these cases were registered in the last 24 hours.
This means that the infection is now spreading in Skåne at a higher rate than ever before.
The stricter restrictions that were introduced for the people of Skåne in October thus do not seem to have had any effect on the spread of infection.
– It is serious now and now it is time for the people of Skåne to realize that we can not continue to live as usual, says infection control doctor Eva Melander.
Now we are in a situation where we have a large spread of infection, the impact on healthcare is increasing and more and more nursing homes are getting the infection. This means that it is really time for all Scanians to think about how I can contribute to minimizing the spread of infection and follow the stricter general advice, says Eva Melander in a press release.
Admittedly, more Scanians than ever have also been tested for the new coronavirus. Last week, 31,470 samples were analyzed, eight thousand more than two weeks earlier.
But the proportion of positive test results is steadily increasing: from 5.7 percent two weeks ago to 8.7 percent last week.
On the other hand , slightly fewer people were treated in hospital with covid on Tuesday compared with the day before.
Today, even more covid patients are cared for in a Scanian hospital than in the spring: 90 in the care ward and 16 in intensive care. And an increasing general spread of infection usually with a few days delay results in an increased burden on healthcare.
Therefore , Region Skåne now turns to the private care providers with whom it has an agreement to hear if it is possible to borrow care staff.