The COVID-19 ward at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon surged to 270% occupancy during the recent third coronavirus wave, the hospital reported on Wednesday. In addition, yhe number of children infected leapt to 280%.In the third wave 1,188 patients were treated while during the second 435 were treated and in the first wave only 103 people were treated.
The increase in the number of patients was also noted at the maternity ward with 20 women infected with the virus compared to none during the first surge and only eight during the second.
Prof. Yaniv Scherer, Director of the Barzilai Medical Center, remarked that the third surge "was among the hardest and most complex we have known."
He added that the staff saw "children with symptoms of adult patients" and said that the reason the wave eventually subsided was "the public willingness to get vaccinated."
"I call again to all those who still did not get the vaccine shot to do it quickly," he said.
However, contrary to a rise in hospitalized patients, the medical center reported that the rates of patients ventilated dropped from 9% in the first wave to only 3% in the third. Moreover, the average number of days a patient spent in the hospital dropped to six instead of 17.
Sherer thanked the "amazing medical teams" at the center. "Your devotion, commitment, and professionalism made a difference and saved lives," he said .