ZAGREB, Oct 26, 2020 – Health Minister Vili Beros said on Monday that the accommodation of patients in the Arena Zagreb sports hall, where about 400 beds were being set up for COVID patients, would depend on the rate of occupation of hospital beds.
“At KB Dubrava hospital we still have a considerable number of beds and the tent set up by the Croatian army, and only after they have been filled will secondary centres be used, such as the Arena,” Beros told the press after meeting with drug wholesalers.
He noted that accommodation would not be a challenge so much as the shortage of health staff, doctors and nurses, depending on the extent to which the virus enters the health system and the number of doctors infected or in self-isolation.
“We will try to deal with this by redeploying staff and by hiring retired doctors, but not to work with COVID-positive patients,” the minister said, adding that over 1,000 carers were currently registered with the employment bureau and they could be counted on, as well as final-year medical students.
