The medical crisis in Italy’s third largest city, Naples, forced patients with COVID-19 to be given oxygen and treated in their own cars, as they waited for hours for COVID testing or hospitalize.
Mr. Rodolfo Punzi – Head of the Department of Infection at Cotugno Hospital said: “Now there are no beds in the hospital for new patients, so our nurses and doctors have to work very hard. Seeing our nurses taking care of patients with oxygen tanks outside the car makes it possible. I am touched and proud of their dedication “.
This Cotugno Hospital is a specialist in the treatment of infectious diseases. In the first wave of epidemics, the hospital applied very strict prevention measures and was considered a model in the fight against COVID-19 in Italy. However, with the increasing number of cases, the hospital also fell into an overload.
“I am very worried because I do not know what happened to my mother anymore. I am not allowed in. I cannot do anything”, Ms. Flora – Patient family member said.
The infection rate in Italy is currently at a very high level. The director of the Italian Institute of Advanced Health said that, for every 100,000 people, there were 524 cases of COVID-19. Therefore, many health experts urge the authorities to take tougher measures to control the disease and give more support to health facilities.