Only 180 of Czech’s Intensive Care Beds Available

There are only about 180 ICU beds available in Czech hospitals for patients with COVID-19 out of a total of more than 3,900.

The situation is worse in the western part of the Czech Republic, Minister of Health Jan Blatný (ANO) said at a press conference after today’s government meeting.

About 84 percent of the total capacity in the country is occupied.

“At the moment, the number of people in the ICU is growing slightly,” the minister said on Czech Television. Therefore, he did not want to state any specific date when it would be possible to relax one of the measures as requires by the regional governors, ie the opening of shops and services.

“The situation is different than in the spring or autumn wave of the epidemic. People in intensive care units need care for longer than before”.

On average, about 40 percent of people tested for COVID-19 show a British coronavirus mutation. However, there are big differences between the regions. For example, laboratories in the Liberec region reported up to a 70% share, Hradec Králové region about a 60% share.

The occupancy of hospitals and their intensive care units also differs. On average, 16 percent of ICU beds are available in the whole Czech Republic.

In Prague, 71 out of 979 designated beds are available in the ARO (Anesthesiology, Resuscitation) and ICU wards, 119 more have been created due to the so-called reprofilization of beds. Theoretically, it is possible to create about 200 new ones.

Hospitals can covert other beds into ICU beds if necessary by adding lifesaving equipment and specialized staff.

Six out of 78 intensive care beds remain available in the Karlovy Vary region, 29 out of 230 in the Hradec Králové region, 24 out of 119 in the Pardubice region, 34 out of 260 in the Central Bohemian region, 26 out of 117 in the Liberec region, 52 out of 242 in the South Bohemian region, 34 out of 174 in the Pilsen region and in Ústecký 33 out of 244.

The Moravian regions have a larger share of available beds, mostly around a quarter.