The decrease in gradual and slow morbidity, a jump in the number of children in critical condition

The decrease in the number of hospitalized is gradual and slower, the patients are younger: in the hospitals it is reported that the decrease in morbidity is noticeable but slower than after the closures in the previous waves, and the patients are now younger. According to data from the Ministry of Health this morning (Tuesday), 962 corona patients are hospitalized in hospitals in critical or critical condition, compared to 1,200 at the height of the third wave. According to the latest comparative morbidity data obtained by Ynet, there was a jump in the number of sick children compared to the first wave.

The data also show that in the first wave of morbidity only three were in a severe or critical condition compared to 14 in the current wave. In the age group 5 to 14 there was an increase from only one patient to seven and in the age group 15 to 18 – an increase from one patient to 24 patients in severe condition.

“There is a consistent and clear trend in changing the mix of patients in the corona,” said Dr. Assaf Peretz, director of the corona department at Assuta Public Hospital in Ashdod. “Once upon a time, adults over 60 were the majority and young people in the minority. The trend has changed and it is even expected to intensify. The adults, for the most part, are vaccinated and obey the instructions, while many of the young people see the guidelines as a recommendation and a vaccine as a possibility and not a requirement. ”

According to Dr. Peretz, “If we add to this the fact that the British variant is present and the opening of educational institutions, I also believe that the average age of patients will go down further. As a physician, it is very unfortunate to see a medical solution available on the shelf in the face of insufficient responsiveness and especially when I am intimately acquainted with the implications. If there is a reason for optimism, it is the fact that the disease is usually less severe in the young population. “

Dr. Miki Halbertl, director of Rambam Hospital in Haifa, said that “at the moment there are 59 patients in the wards, 27 of them respirators and 42 of them defined as severe or critical and five patients on Acme, two of whom are giving birth. For comparison, we were at a peak with “121 patients, twice the current situation. The number of patients is declining but there is still a very large number of young patients. In the middle of the current wave and in fact from the beginning of 2021. We are seeing a decrease in the age of the patients. We are seeing an increasing number of older patients.”

Dr. Halbertl added that “currently the average age of inpatients on Acme is 45 and in the past the average age was between 60 and 65. A large proportion of those hospitalized are still from Arab society, between 40 and 50 percent. It feels different from previous waves. In previous closures we have seen a decline within a week from the start of the closure and here the decline is very slow and gradual. The question arises as to what is the effect of the third closure. It could be that without the closure we would have been in a more serious situation. This time we feel the closure is having an effect, but less so. Is this the last wave? It depends on the rate of vaccines and mutations. It can change all the data and forecasts. “

Prof. Arnon Afek, deputy director general of Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer and co-chair of the Association of Hospital Managers, also testified that the decline in the number of patients is slower than in the past. “We are seeing a gradual decline in the number of hospitalized and critically ill patients, slower than we have seen in previous waves. On the other hand, the number of very serious patients requiring intensive care still remains high and we estimate it will take longer for that number to start declining,” he said.

Prof. Afek explained that “the duration of their illness is relatively long, so we still have to invest a lot of intensive care resources, including Acme, for the treatment. In addition, there are difficult patients who have recovered from Corona but still need to be treated in the intensive care unit. “Very difficult patients remain and they are still being treated from the usual intensive care units in the hospitals, and this also creates a burden on the intensive care unit, which is a precious and very lacking resource for us.”

“The Association of Hospital Administrators has presented the Ministry of Health after the second wave with a plan to add 321 intensive care beds that will continue to provide the best response to patients in the future. We are awaiting the Ministry of Health’s response so we can go ahead and open these beds.”

Dr. Eran Rotman, director of the Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva, said that the morbidity among mothers and young people is alarming. “There is a decrease in the number of hospitalized patients in line with the morbidity in the country, but there is still alarming morbidity among mothers and young people. “In addition, the hospital is dealing with a large number of respiratory patients and Acme as a result of the incidence of morbidity in the third wave and to a greater extent than those in the second wave,” said Dr. Rotman.

“The clinical picture we see can be attributed to an increase in the rate of infection due to the British mutation. In Beilinson there are six corona patients on Acme aged 30 to 50, nine more respirators in the corona wards and another six who have already recovered from the virus but are still breathing. “Although the scope of hospitalizations is reduced, the staffs deal with very serious patients and are fighting for their lives.”

At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon arrived at noon at the status of the four million vaccinated in Leumit’s vaccination complex in Yad Sara in the city. “You’re not exactly afraid, are you?” Prime Minister Netanyahu told the vaccinated Theodor Selsen. “Congratulations. Familiar with the ‘Nine Million?’ Commercial, we’re on our way there. Four Million, very beautiful.”

Netanyahu added: “I want to appeal to 570,000 people over the age of 70 who have not yet been vaccinated. When you are not going to be vaccinated because of the small stab and the side effects, you take the risk of death. The first reason to get vaccinated is the danger. The second reason, we open a passport plan “Green and whoever gets vaccinated will be able to enjoy theater, cultural and sports shows. A third reason is that whoever is sick challenges our hospitals and we will have to bring the closure back. Stay alive so we can all come back to life.”

Health Minister Edelstein said: “This is something we could not dream of in the wildest dreams two months ago, we did it thanks to the prime minister who brought the vaccines, thanks to the doctors, nurses and other staff. There is still a gap of about 500,000 people over the age of 50. “They will be vaccinated because the serious illness is at this age. The cabinet has decided to slowly get out of quarantine and open things like culture and gyms.”

Mayor Leon said: “In Jerusalem we are approaching 300,000 vaccinators, and we are increasing special operations in hard-to-reach populations such as the ultra-Orthodox and Arab populations. On Friday, a vaccination station will open at the Nablus Gate and next week in the Mahane Yehuda market.”