
It seemed at the start of the pandemic, Israel was successful in implementing strict measures to keep the death toll down. Today is a different story, its remarkable how drastically the situation has changed. With a population of only nine million, Israel now has one of the highest infection rates in the world since reopening its economy. To date, there are more than 43,000 active confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Israel, with around 3,000 new cases each day.
Amidst the second national lockdown currently in place in Israel, the ongoing battle fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic continues at Laniado Hospital. The impact and threat on the hospital is real. Laniado only has capacity for 2.9% of all hospital beds across Israel. However, the hospital is currently treating 5% of Israel’s confirmed coronavirus patients in its intensive care, resulting in a 42% increase in patients being treated compared to ‘normal’.
This extra pressure comes from the hospital being located in the Netanya and Sharon region which serves 450,000 residents (many of whom are elderly and are more at risk) and also due to the incredible care the hospital has given throughout the crisis – patients are actively choosing to be treated at Laniado over Israel’s other hospitals. Whilst this is a measure of success and humbling for the hospital when a patient chooses to be treated for the high-quality care the hospital provides – we need to ensure that the hospital and all its dedicated medical staff can continue to fight the battle successfully and save more lives.