PPE Equipment for Healthcare Professionals. | M.À. Cañellas

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The Covid ward at Son Espases Hospital needs more staff to help look after the increasing number of patients being admitted.

Doctors, Nurses and Administrators from Cardiology, Endocrinology, Pediatrics or Hematology have already heeded the call to boost staff numbers on the frontline.

"A call has been made to other services to strengthen the Covid units and thanks to them some of our staff can take a little time off," says Hospital Manager, Josep Pomar, “but if the situation worsens and if leave needs to be suspended, it will be.”

99 of the 365 coronavirus patients hospitalised in the Balearic Islands on Tuesday were admitted to Son Espases Hospital.

"We are still below our maximum capacity, but the numbers are increasing fast and demand for ICU beds will probably increase in one or two weeks,” warns Pomar.

Residents from Nursing Homes who’ve contracted the virus are being admitted to Son Espases hospital, which is one of the reasons why patient numbers are increasing.

"They should have gone to a Health Centre but they are completely saturated,” explains Pomar.

The Union of Nursing Technicians, or SAE says Son Espases Hospital took on patients from other hospitals in the Balearic Islands that are working with fewer staff because hundreds of Healthcare Professionals are in isolation, either because they’re infected or because they’ve been in close contact with someone who’s positive. Josep Pomar says they need as many people as they can get.

"If staff are available, they’re hired," he said.

He's also confident that there will be enough beds for Covid patients because there are no tests or surgeries scheduled during the holidays.

The hope is that people will act responsibly over Christmas and the New Year to avoid another spike in coronavirus infections in January.