Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[serfty]

Just saw the number of active COVID-19 in Australia has dropped to under 3000 (2804).

(Source not ABC, their recovered numbers have strangely not changed for a couple of days.)

 

[Himeno]

Looks like it went under 3000 today.
National stats are updated at 3pm eastern.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) at a glance infographic collection

A collection of infographics providing a quick view of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Australia since 5 April 2020.

www.health.gov.au

 

[PineappleSkip]

That’s good, headline cases without recoveries were giving a completely misleading picture. For example Victoria has 1,281 cases, but knowing 1,075 have recovered gives a much better perspective.

cheers skip

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Just saw the number of active COVID-19 in Australia has dropped to under 3000 (2804).

(Source not ABC, their recovered numbers have strangely not changed for a couple of days.)

There reporting and updating has been slower the the last several days. I would speculate Easter may possibly be why.

 

[drron]

Interesting graph on SA ED occupancy with a huge dip since Covid.
.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Interesting graph on SA ED occupancy with a huge dip since Covid.
View attachment 214353.

I just watched a report from the USA which reported that many of their hospitals and GPS are very quiet and in some cases furloughing staff.

ie electives surgeries not being done and normal walk-in health visits are just no occurring at the normal levels. The general public are avoiding GPs and hospitals.


At the Vic Hospitals where I have relatives working at they report the same trend. Non-CV19 activity is very quiet, and indeed even CV19 activity is very quiet.

 

[kpc]

At my hospital in Sydney which is a major public teaching hospital, with all elective surgery cancelled, nearly all outpatient clinics cancelled coupled with patients too scared to come to hospital, has resulted in both non Covid and Covid activity being low...suits me fine ...and we have 2 new locum staff specialist joining our department....lots of time to plan (dream of) travel...

 

[SydneySwan]

I never really understood the need to stop private hospitals doing all elective surgery. I would have thought they could have transitioned pretty quickly to COVID-19 cases if there was a surge in cases.

It has just proven a massive free kick to the health funds - income continues but expenses have dropped right off.

 

[Pushka]

I never really understood the need to stop private hospitals doing all elective surgery. I would have thought they could have transitioned pretty quickly to COVID-19 cases if there was a surge in cases.

It has just proven a massive free kick to the health funds - income continues but expenses have dropped right off.

I think the rate at which Covid dropped off surprised everyone. I'd expect there would be easing of this soon for urgent and pediatric cases. It's really only been a couple of weeks although it seems like a lifetime. I know our anaesthetist friend is having to take time off which I know he wouldn't want.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I never really understood the need to stop private hospitals doing all elective surgery. I would have thought they could have transitioned pretty quickly to COVID-19 cases if there was a surge in cases.

It has just proven a massive free kick to the health funds - income continues but expenses have dropped right off.

It's more about PPE availability I recall.

I suspect if cases continue at a low level but PPE supply stabilises and stockpiles built, such procedures and dentists etc could resume relatively normal operation.

 

[kpc]

I never really understood the need to stop private hospitals doing all elective surgery. I would have thought they could have transitioned pretty quickly to COVID-19 cases if there was a surge in cases.

I thought it was also to conserve PPE

 

[get me outta here]

I do know of at least two health funds which are delaying their price increase and it will be reviewed in a few months, because at the point they sent that email out to me they said they weren’t able to anticipate how much intensive care costs there would be. As there is not apparently a lot of ICU cost I would expect them to be even more ‘generous’.

I think the overall shutdown was about conserving ventilators(?)

It has just proven a massive free kick to the health funds - income continues but expenses have dropped right off.

 

[Robert K]

Interesting graph on SA ED occupancy with a huge dip since Covid.
View attachment 214353.

erectile dysfunction?

 

[RooFlyer]

It has just proven a massive free kick to the health funds - income continues but expenses have dropped right off.

I believe that elective surgery is one of the main income streams for Private Hospitals. The ‘semi nationalisation’ of the Private hospitals was essentially a bail out for them. They get paid for more govt patients to make up for the cancellation of electives. @drron might have a better idea.

At the time when electives were cancelled, it was expected, or planned for, COVID19 patients to swamp the hospitals.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Given the numbers of private citizens walking around wearing face masks, I wonder how long it is feasible to have private hospitals be restricted. Sooner they go back to normal the less the taxpayer will have to shell out.

 

[burmans]

We may be going somewhere other than where we are now but it won’t be ‘normal’
for some time yet!

 

[drron]

When I had my colonoscopy at the private hospital where I used to work on the 31st March they were more on the ball than the public hospitals.had your temperature taken before getting in the door,a nurse just inside the door asked about symptoms then before you got out of the reception area temperature taken again.And everyone had proper PPE.
Frankly it would have made more sense for Private hospitals not to take medical patients and keep elective surgery some of which could come from the public sector IMHO.

The private hospital specialists have taken a big hit.Consultations by telehealth mandated at medicare rate only,No proceedures including for cardiologists no stress testing or echocardiographs.

All this will obviously come at a cost in health for some patients.I used to function as a heart failure specialist so the lack of echos would be a significant problem in management.The BNP blood test doesn't give you nearly as much information.

 

[Steamrollersam]

Working as a cardiologist in private practice, I'm currently working at 40% pre-COVID levels and generating about 20% income for the practice as Telehealth reviews are bulk-billed and I can't do about 60% of the interventional procedures I'd normally be doing weekly. Even after slashing sessions await PPE for our techs, slots for echoes and functional tests are not being filled as patients are sensibly staying away and are happy to have their appointments deferred until the dust settles. Elective procedures that are non-urgent Cat 2 and Cat 3 are cancelled to conserve resources (PPE, hospital supplies including sterile equipment, post-op hospital beds including ICU, and of course staffing).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Only 41 new cases today in Australia as of 7.15pm.

So if the breakdown for each Australia state is somewhat similar to NSW (see below) then the number of local transmissions in Australia is now very low.

 

[Pushka]

Sadly an ICU nurse treating Covid patients at RAH (Adelaide) is positive but seems to be doing ok. But many now have to be put in isolation.

Post automatically merged: Apr 14, 2020

Only 41 new cases today in Australia as of 7.15pm.

So if the breakdown for each Australia state is somewhat similar to NSW (see below) then the number of local transmissions in Australia is now very low.

Does this include the 10 patients now positive at a care home where the medical person worked while sick?