Occupancy rates at public hospitals are rising as pathology, pulmonology, and paediatric wards exceed 90% capacity, with accident and emergency departments reporting a significant increase in patients with respiratory symptoms.
The RSV virus has particularly affected children, with all 105 paediatric beds in the public sector continuously occupied. The virus is also affecting adults, particularly the elderly and very elderly.
COVID-19 cases are also rising, with Nicosia General Hospital currently treating about 12 patients with severe symptoms, up from 4-5 patients in previous weeks. The annual influenza wave is expected to arrive in early January.
“Patient admissions have increased significantly in recent days,” Charalambos Charilaou, spokesman for the State Health Services Organisation (SHSO), told Philenews. He noted that occupancy rates in pathology, pulmonology, and paediatric wards exceed 90%, with paediatric beds sometimes completely unavailable.
SHSO has increased bed capacity to meet seasonal demand, as it does annually during infection season. The public sector currently maintains 105 paediatric beds, with significantly more beds available in pathology departments.
Charilaou explained that adding beds in one department requires reducing capacity elsewhere, necessitating careful management to avoid disrupting hospital operations. He noted that there are several serious cases, including children with severe RSV symptoms, but mostly elderly and very elderly patients with respiratory infections requiring extended hospital stays.
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