Israeli doctor in Italy: No. of patients rises but we get to everyone

Dr. Gai Peleg told Israeli television that in northern Italy, patients over 60 tend to receive less treatment with anesthesia and artificial respiratory machines.

Medical worker is seen at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Jinyintan hospital in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak (photo credit: REUTERS)
Medical worker is seen at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Jinyintan hospital in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Italy has suffered more coronavirus-related fatalities than China, with 4,825 confirmed deaths and 5,000 confirmed patients in the last 24 hours, Channel 12 reported on Sunday.
Israeli M.D. Gal Peleg, who is currently working to save lives in Parma, Italy, told Channel 12 that things are only getting worse as the number of patients keeps growing.  
 
As his department receives coronavirus patients who are terminally ill, the focus is to allow patients to meet loved ones and communicate with them during their last moments despite the quarantine regulations. Other reports claim that, as the number of dead increases, some families find themselves unable to secure a proper burial for their loved ones.  
 
Peleg said that, from what he hears, patients over 60 tend to receive less treatment with anesthesia and artificial respiratory machines. Peleg stresses that not everyone can be put to sleep and receive artificial respiration, but that each case is looked at carefully.
Clinical treatment is provided for each patient that needs it, explained Peleg and added that as the number of coronavirus patients rises, new wards are constantly opened to treat them and there are enough doctors aided by volunteers for everyone. "It is possible, necessary and needless to say, our duty, to help everyone and that is what we do."
Israel is currently purchasing thousands of respiratory machines, and they are supposed to arrive in the country by mid-May. On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is using every means it has to secure medical equipment to help patients during the pandemic.
He added that all health services in the world face shortages due to the rapid and unexpected nature of the COVID-19 outbreak.