More serious COVID patients than previous days

23 October 2020
More serious COVID patients than previous days
This photo taken on October 17, 2020 shows volunteers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) waiting next to ambulances as they prepare to transfer local residents suspected of having the COVID-19 coronavirus to a quarantine centre in Yangon. Photo: Ye Aung Thu/AFP

Yangon General Hospital (YGH) Emergency Ward chief Dr. Maw Maw Oo said that the number of serious COVID-19 patients was rising in the worst-hit Yangon Region and so did the number of patients who needed oxygen. Previously only 20% of the COVID patients arrived in YGH needed oxygen and now 50% of the COVID cases were serious patients who needed oxygen, he added.

“We have arranged oxygen for a total 250 patients but this number is not yet enough for rising number of patients at our hospital. We need more oxygen. So we have to send some patients to other COVID centres such as Inya, Phaungyi and Ayer.” Dr. Maw Maw Oo said.

With the arrangement made by Yangon Region COVID Committee, Yangon Region received about 5,050 oxygen cylinders with 40-litre canisters and this number is okay at present but there would be an oxygen cylinders shortage if the number of serious COVID patients increased, the doctor said. YGH has expanded their Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and High Dependency Units (HDUs) with 30 and 50 units respectively for serious patients.