The situation in Slovenian hospitals assigned for the treatment of COVID-19 patients is difficult, medical staff are exhausted and there is a shortage of some drugs, notably for patients in intensive care wards.

This was stated at a government news conference by Matjaz Jereb, head of the intensive care ward of the Ljubljana University Hospital, the biggest Slovenian hospital which is treating about half of all coronavirus patients in the country.

“The situation regarding available beds is alarming, we keep opening new units and setting up new beds but we won’t be able to do that forever,” Jereb said on the day when the number of hospitalised patients for the first time exceeded 1,000, including 161 patients in intensive care.

“It is true that the number of new infections is falling, but we still have not reached the peak regarding the number of hospitalisations. We can expect to do so in 10 to 14 days, and the situation will be clear by the end of the month,” Jereb said with regard to forecasts that the epidemic in the country has culminated.

He added that the number of patients in intensive care units would be the last to start falling.

The situation is the most difficult in intensive care wards, which lack trained staff while staff that is working is exhausted and some are on sick leave or in self-isolation. Since early September, around 500 staff members of the Ljubljana University Hospital have become infected with COVID-19.

Problems also exist with equipment and they will be dealt with in agreement with suppliers, but the shortage of some drugs is a more serious problem, said Jereb.