Skip to main content

Inside an intensive care ward nearly at capacity with Covid patients as Sydney doctor battling to save them begs people to get vaccinated - with 18 un-jabbed Aussies fighting for their lives

An intensive care doctor working in the heart of Sydney's Covid outbreak has warned that hospital beds are filling up fast and nearing capacity, with more and more young people being admitted.

Dr Timothy Southwood said a dedicated ICU ward set up to treat coronavirus patients at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was fitted out for 16 patients.

At the moment there are 12 positive cases in the ward battling the virus, but Dr Southwood expects the number of infections to rise, potentially putting the unit over capacity.

The courageous frontline worker, who's been in the trenches since March last year treating Covid patients, urged eligible Australians to get vaccinated as soon as possible noting that those with the jab have far less severe symptoms and are unlikely to end up in ICU. 

An intensive care doctor working at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney (pictured) has warned that hospital beds for Covid patients are filling up fast and nearing capacity

An intensive care doctor working at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney has warned that hospital beds for Covid patients are filling up fast and nearing capacity

'We are approaching capacity in that unit but we have plans and the capacity to expand to scale our ability to help people with confirmed or suspected Covid within the ICU and those discussions are ongoing,' Dr Southwood told A Current Affair.

'What we are bracing for is that there will be more people who may need to come to an intensive care unit over the next few weeks as a result of COVID.

'We are aware that the numbers in the community are increasing and with more Covid there is an expectation that a certain number of those people will need to come to hospital and some of those will need to have the kind of care we can only provide in an intensive care unit.'

New South Wales recorded 112 new locally acquired cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections since Sydney's latest outbreak began to 678.

There are currently 63 Covid-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 18 people in intensive care, four of whom require ventilation. 

One of those breathing through a ventilator is a teenager. 

'What we are bracing for is that there will be more people who may need to come to an intensive care unit over the next few weeks as a result of COVID,' Dr Southwood told ACA's Tracy Grimshaw (pictured)

'What we are bracing for is that there will be more people who may need to come to an intensive care unit over the next few weeks as a result of COVID,' Dr Southwood told ACA's Tracy Grimshaw

The courageous frontline worker (pictured) has been treating Covid patients since March last year

The courageous frontline worker has been treating Covid patients since March last year

Despite strict stay-at-home orders in place across Sydney and NSW, Dr Southwood expects the situation may become even more desperate due to the highly infectious Indian Delta variant. 

'There will be more people who may need to come to an intensive care unit over the next few weeks as a result of Covid,' he said.

'And we're seeing people who are across the age groups, so I think it's important to emphasise that,' he said.

But although doctors are facing challenges, Dr Southwood is upbeat about the hospital system's ability to manage the current outbreak.

Dr Southwood also pointed to the availability of vaccines as a 'game-changer' for medical staff and patients alike. Pictured: A health worker receives a Covid jab at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Vaccination Hub

Dr Southwood also pointed to the availability of vaccines as a 'game-changer' for medical staff and patients alike. Pictured: A health worker receives a Covid jab at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Vaccination Hub

Staff wearing face masks outside the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (pictured) in Camperdown, Sydney, where many Covid patients are being treated

Staff wearing face masks outside the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, Sydney, where many Covid patients are being treated

'The good news, from our point of view, is that we have had a year to adapt, build systems, which didn't exist before Covid,' he said.

Dr Southwood also pointed to the availability of vaccines as a 'game-changer' for medical staff and patients alike.

'We've seen the benefits across the world where vaccination has made a difference in terms of how severe an illness we might need to deal with,' he said.

'We were always expecting we might be in this circumstance, hopeful we would not be, but prepared should we be, and we are.'

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o