"Lanzarote is prepared to face the peak in case there is one." This is what the president of the Cabildo, María Dolores Corujo, has stated, assuring that the island has half a hundred ventilators, not counting those in private healthcare, and that 10 more are expected to arrive.
According to Corujo, with the equipment that currently exists, there is no difficulty "in being able to guarantee" around "approximately 10-14 days" and "material continues to arrive on the island." For the moment, the material is covered and guaranteed," added the president of the Cabildo, who, although she believes there could be a rebound as the number of tests increases, has assured that "as of today, the Hospital has full capacity to face this situation."
As María Dolores Corujo recalled, as of this Monday, 48 positive cases have been confirmed in Lanzarote, of which 19 are hospitalized, four of them in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). "The situation is under control," highlighted the president of the Cabildo, who explained that in the ICU there are still 10 beds available "only" to attend to those affected by the coronavirus" as "another facility has been enabled for the rest of the patients affected by other pathologies, with the aim of avoiding new infections.
In addition, Corujo specified that the beds for the most serious coronavirus patients can be increased by using the recovery unit and the operating rooms of the Molina Orosa Hospital, "so that a hypothetical increase in cases requiring treatment in the ICU can be addressed."
"The conventional hospitalization needs of those infections that do not require treatment in the ICU can also be perfectly met," added the president of the Cabildo. And, as La Voz already reported, in addition to the old surgery ward of the Molina Orosa Hospital, which was set up from the beginning to accommodate patients who are positive or suspected of having coronavirus, dividing it into two parts, another ward has been set up in the hospital and, even, another reorganization is planned in case a third ward is required.
Also, as La Voz reported, a large tent has been installed in the emergency parking lot of the hospital to increase the capacity of the external waiting room that was already set up days ago, where a field hospital could be set up if the situation worsened.
Possibility of medicalizing hotels
Similarly, the president of the Cabildo has stated that the possibility of medicalizing hotels has been planned. "But I insist, with the data we have and the levels of incidence and contagion that we have daily, which correspond to five or six, we do not consider it absolutely necessary," said María Dolores Corujo, who insisted that "the Canary Islands is one of the autonomous communities where the coronavirus has had the least impact" and that "especially Lanzarote is one of the islands where the results are hopeful," thus sending a message of "hope and security."
However, María Dolores Corujo has once again insisted to citizens on the importance of confinement to stop the contagion. "Everything will be alright, but for everything to go well we need to continue counting on you. Close the door to any possibility of contagion, take care of our loved ones," she concluded.
