Laurence Dollimore
A MALAGA hospital is converting its cafe into a makeshift ward following a surge in patients.
The Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital in the capital, known as Clinico, shut down the cafe yesterday to install around 20 beds following weeks of rising COVID-19 numbers.
Hospital bosses are installing oxygen respirators and other equipment needed to treat patients with the coronavirus, Diario Sur revealed.
However the hospital said the move is part of its contingency plan and that the space, situated on the ground floor, could well be used for patients suffering from illnesses other than the coronavirus, which tend to worsen in the winter months.
The number of hospitalised coronavirus sufferers has continued to climb in recent weeks in Malaga, concerning health authorities.
It comes after it was announced by the Junta that once there are more than 4,500 coronavirus patients in Andalucia, a plan has been put in place to transfer patients from Sevilla and Granada to the likes of Malaga and Almeria.
There are now more than 400 patients in Malaga, a figure which has more than doubled in the last month, when there were just 150.
However in Sevilla and Granada there are around 850 patients in each, with health professionals in both provinces warning of a collapse in their respective health systems.
