Costa Blanca hospital gets 200 new staff and 150 extra beds to cope with ‘enormous workload’

Elda Hospital has been reinforced with 200 new health professionals and 150 extra beds to help fight coronavirus.

THE Regional Ministry of Health ‘urgently’ hired personnel in the nursing, auxiliary and warden areas to try to accommodate the increased demand and cover vacancies due to staff infection.

The hospital has also increased its capacity from 379 to 533 beds and expanded its equipment and technical means to be able to care for 50 critical patients

A Health Department source said the new additions “will help to alleviate the enormous workload that professionals are having to endure and to cover the vacancies caused by contagion on the staff of the General University Hospital of Elda and the various health and specialty centres in Alto y Medio Vinalopó.”

The number of doctors, nurses, assistants and warders who have been infected or are suspected of being infected in the Elda Health Department is estimated to be around 30.