Gibraltar mourns a fourth death from Covid-19 in under a week
Jon Nazca/REUTERS 6th January 2021
Another person died from Covid-19 in Gibraltar on Tuesday, bringing the total number of deaths in the first six days of the year to four, compared to seven in the whole of 2020.
The grim news came against the backdrop of a sharp spike in the number of positive cases detected on the Rock over the past three weeks.
That presents this community with a stark reality.
While most of the cases recover without any complications, the larger the number of infected people, the more likely it is that some will require hospital care. It also increases the possibility that some may not pull through.
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The Government has said it notes that today’s COVID-19 statistics show 180 new positive infections, a total of 714 people presently actively infected and 2,030 presently in self isolation. This very high number of new positive infections of COVID-19 today emphasises the importance of complying with the restrictions put in place by the Government to prevent the spread of the virus.
The huge numbers of new infections and the huge numbers of people in self isolation are putting massive pressure on the ability of the Government to continue to provide public services. In particular, there is massive pressure on the 111 and Contact Tracing services as well as the Gibraltar Health Authority and all frontline services as a whole.
‘Deep concern’ as Gib registers 180 new Covid cases
Eyleen Gomez 30th December 2020
Gibraltar registered its highest daily spike in new virus cases on Wednesday, with 180 new Covid-19 infections detected in a development that has caused “deep concern” for officials.
The total number of active cases on the Rock rose to 714 cases, including 706 residents and eight visitors to the Rock.
Including cross-border workers detected in Gibraltar but recovering in Spain, the number of active Covid-19 cases would rise to 751.
Five new cases were recorded among Elderly Care Services residents, and at present there are 15 patients in the hospital, with 12 in the Covid Ward and three individuals in the Covid Critical Care Unit.
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Pic: Eyleen Gomez 30th December 2020 The rising number cases of Covid-19 locally is placing great strain on the Gibraltar Health Authority, with one in 10 nurses in isolation or testing positive, stretching the workforce, acting Medical Director, Dr Krishna Rawal, has confirmed.
The surge in cases struck staffing numbers just as there has been an increase of Covid hospitalisations, meaning that the remaining staff need to cover this extra ground while taking precautions to prevent a spread.
As cases soared on Wednesday, with 180 new Covid cases reported, the impact was felt by the GHA, which now has 12 positive cases in the Covid-19 Ward and a further three in the Critical Care Unit, as well as five in Elderly Residential Services.
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The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, this morning convened the COVID PLATINUM Command in order to consider the advice of the Gibraltar Health Authority’s Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Dr Nick Cortes, and other senior medical professionals in Gibraltar.
COVID Platinum met this afternoon and had a lengthy discussion which included, at the Chief Minister’s invitation, doctors Cortes, Bhatti and Rawal as well as Assistant Commissioner Cathal Yeats.
In their communication to the Chief Minister the medical professionals highlighted their concern about the number of new COVID-19 diagnoses continuing to increase unabated. They described this is an extremely worrying trajectory with a 7-day rolling rate per 100,000 that puts Gibraltar’s growth curve at near vertical.