The “8th of September” hospital has admitted 18 new Covid-19 patients who came in a very serious condition. Hospital director Hristijan Kostov warns that, with 140 patients, the main coronavirus clinic in Macedonia is at the end of its strength.

According to Kostov, too many patients fight the virus at home and seek assistance only when blood oxygen levels drop dangerously low “Out of the 140 patients, 100 are on oxygen support and 17 on mechanical ventilation”, Kostov warned.

We have room for 100 more beds, but our staff is at the end of their strength. We received some reinforcements from other hospitals but they are in for two weeks, and in that time they can barely learn the lay of the hospital. We need them to remain for a whole month, so our own staff can have a break, Kostov said.

During the April peak, the two main clinics that treat Covid-19 patients had up to 90 patients. Now, the total is often over 250, prompting the Healthcare Ministry to begin using another, converted children’s hospital, and a field hospital, as well as to rely more on the hospitals across the country for the easier cases. Macedonia is facing a major Second Wave of the epidemic, caused mainly by violations of social distancing restrictions during the month of Ramadan.