Opinions & Interviews

Over 7,000 hospital beds for coronavirus patients in Belarus

Vladimir Karanik

MINSK, 7 April (BelTA) – More than 7,000 hospital beds have been earmarked for coronavirus patients in Belarus, Healthcare Minister Vladimir Karanik told reporters following the meeting with Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss preparedness of the healthcare system to counteract the threat of coronavirus on 7 April.

Journalists asked the minister whether additional measures are needed to combat coronavirus. “Our coronavirus containment efforts are adjusted nearly every day. We are making amendments to regulations and repurposing healthcare facilities depending on current developments. We often discuss a possibility of implementing tougher restrictions,” the minister said.

He noted: “The World Health Organization is very clear about it: these measures are needed to create a window of opportunities in order to provide some respite to the healthcare system when it is overwhelmed. This matter was raised today by the head of state: if any additional measures are needed, they will be implemented. As of today, there are more than 7,000 hospital beds for coronavirus patients, less than 10% of all the country’s bed capacity. In other words, we have the necessary bed capacity, both general and repurposed to treat such patients,” the minister noted.

According to Vladimir Karanik, “there are no signs indicating that the healthcare system is overloaded”. He emphasized: “We are keeping the finger on the pulse. The situation is better in some regions and worse in others where coronavirus is coupled with the burden of seasonal respiratory infections. In other words, these two factors overlapped to increase burden on the regional healthcare”. However, everything is done there to tackle the situation as fast as possible,” Vladimir Karanik added.

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