The number of new Corona admissions in Austrian hospitals has recently risen sharply. This is shown by a look at the SARI dashboard operated by the Ministry of Health, the umbrella organization of social insurance companies and the Agency for Health and Food Security (AGES). In the week from November 20th to 26th (week 47), 1,081 Covid patients were admitted to normal wards, which corresponds to an increase of almost 40 percent within four weeks.
For calendar week 43 (October 23 to 29), 777 new admissions to normal wards are reported. However, the number of hospitalizations in intensive care units (ICU) has only changed slightly. While 36 people were admitted to ICU wards due to an infection with the coronavirus during the same period in October, there were 29 in the week from November 20th to 26th. Data for the last two weeks has not yet been fully reported. The SARI dashboard shows the numbers of patients in Austrian hospitals with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI).
In the previous week, almost 42,000 sick leaves
According to figures from the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), almost 42,000 people were on sick leave with Covid-19 last week. “This is a wave that has perhaps not yet been seen in the form and at the height of the pandemic,” said virologist and immunologist Andreas Bergthaler from MedUni Vienna in the Ö1 morning journal, citing wastewater studies.
As a result, the so-called Pirola variant is currently spreading in Austria. This is a particularly contagious sub-variant of the omicron mutation that became known in January 2022. It was said from the analyzes that Pirola subvariants would increase in growth. “One might also conclude from this that the wave of infections may last a little longer,” said Bergthaler.
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It was only at the end of November that the Vienna General Hospital (AKH) reintroduced corona tests before inpatient admissions due to the increasing number of infections. The Vienna Health Association (WIGEV) had previously responded to the development in infection numbers with stricter measures. Since July 1, 2023, testing has been mandatory for patients with symptoms in all WIGEV hospitals.
Two weeks ago, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) also advised people to wear masks once more where many older or sick people come together. However, there is no specific requirement to wear a mask. It was said at the time that there was no overload in the hospitals.
