Multiple factors cause rise of severe COVID cases in Beijing: health experts

Health experts noted that multiple reasons have led to a rise of severe COVID-19 cases in Beijing, as north China generally sees a greater occurrence of respiratory infectious diseases in winter.

Some senior patients developed severe conditions after contracting the Omicron variant, but will recover from the infection after treatment, said Li Yanming, head of the department of respiratory and critical care medicine at the Beijing Hospital, whose patients admitted are mostly seniors.

Tong Zhaohui, vice president of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, said the hospital has been receiving an average of 350 to 400 fever patients and around 500 patients with emergencies daily in recent days.

China has prepared medical facilities for treating severe cases as the country is witnessing a rise in the number of these patients. Third-grade hospitals should take in COVID-19 patients with severe conditions as well as those with multiple critical underlying conditions, said Jiao Yahui, an official with the National Health Commission.

Senior patients with underlying conditions and children should be directly transferred to third-grade hospitals as soon as their conditions change, Jiao added.

Third-grade hospitals rank at the top of China's three-tier hospital grading system. They have the most hospital beds and provide comprehensive medical services.

Localities have been asked to make emergency plans, said Jiao, noting that when arranging ambulances, patients with emergencies and critical and severe conditions should be prioritized.

She also urged efforts to increase the number of workers taking emergency calls, and medical facilities to offer online consultation services around the clock.

In response to possible strain on medical resources at the county level during the upcoming holidays of the New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, Jiao said third-grade hospitals will give closer guidance to county-level hospitals and send personnel to these hospitals for help.

Localities should send mobile medical vehicles and medical teams to rural areas and deliver medical services to help with the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Jiao said, noting that city-to-county support and patient referral mechanisms should be put in place to ensure severe cases from rural areas can be transferred to larger hospitals in a timely manner.