The Spanish government has asked pregnant women, to stop congesting the health system with their “selfish concerns like childbirth”, with the aim of controlling the spread of coronavirus.
Health Minister Salvador Illa announced the closure of several schools and colleges and announced the cancellation of sports and cultural event this morning, before admonishing the population for not respecting the government’s directives.
Mr. Illa argued that much of the Spanish healthcare system is taken up by people with other problems than the Covid-19, seriously limiting the country’s capacity to fight the virus.
“Every day, dozens of pregnant women encumber our hospitals because they are too selfish to wait. We are fighting a pandemic, it’s not the time for whims like having babies.”
The Health Minister claimed reminded pregnant women that hospitals are dangerous places for infections at the moment and asked them to delay their visits “as long as possible”.
“Doctors and nurses are working 18 hours a day in a virus-filled environment. This is not a place for newborns. I know you pregnant ladies are often emotional and capricious, but we need you to do your part and hold it in a few weeks.”
Spain, like several European countries, is struggling to control the Covid-19 pandemic.
The number of deaths and hospitalizations has been increasing dramatically over the last two weeks, putting extreme pressure on the country’s health system.
The authorities have already shut down several services to concentrate resources on fighting the epidemics.
They notably stopped esthetic surgery, treatments for mental problems, erectile problems or sexually transmitted diseases.
According to experts, many more services could be closed over the next few weeks, including maternity wards.
Meanwhile, Kenya has recorded 497 more COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours bringing the total number of cases to 46,144.
In a statement sent to newsrooms on Wednesday, October 21, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe stated that 4,888 samples had been tested over the period bringing the total number of samples tested so far to 632,669.
From the cases, 471 are Kenyans while 26 are foreigners. Out of the number, 295 are male while 202 are female.
The youngest is a one-year-old infant while the oldest is 88 years.
238 patients recovered in the last 24 hours; 170 from the Home-Based Care Programme, while 68 have been discharged from various hospitals.
The total number of recoveries now stand at 32,760.
Unfortunately, 16 patients have succumbed to the virus, bringing the total number of fatalities to 858.
The Ministry of Health also reported that 27 patients were in the Intensive Care Unit, 27 under ventilator support and 42 on oxygen.
“A total number of 1,189 are currently admitted in various health facilities and 2,661 are on the Home Based Isolation and Care,” reads the statement.
The cases in the counties have been distributed as follows; Nairobi 227, Machakos 64, Mombasa 51, Uasin Gishu 37, Laikipia 28, Busia 19, Kajiado 11, Embu 10, Nakuru 9, Wajir 7, Kiambu 6, Kilifi 6, Kisumu 4, Nyeri 4, Makueni 3, Elgeyo Marakwet 2, Meru 2, Kisii 2, Turkana 2, Narok 1, Homabay 1 and Kakamega 1.
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In Nairobi County, the cases are distributed as follows; Lang’ata 32, Westlands 26, Embakasi West 20, Makadara 19, Embakasi East 17, Kasarani 16, Embakasi North 15, Kibra 12, Dagoretti North 11, Dagoretti South and Starehe 10 cases each, Embakasi South 9, Mathare and Roysambu 8 cases each, Kamukunji and Ruaraka 6 cases each and Embakasi Central 2 cases.
In Machakos, the 64 cases are from; Machakos Town 48, Kangundo 7, Athi River 4, Katiani 3, Masinga and Matungulu have a case each.
In Mombasa, the 51 cases are from; Jomvu 22, Mvita 21, Nyali 4, Kisauni, Changamwe and Likoni a case each.
