Jordan witnesses epidemiological peak, hospital occupancy at ‘worrying’ levels — PM

AMMAN —The Kingdom is still witnessing an epidemiological peak with occupancy rates in hospitals reaching “worrying” levels, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh said on Thursday.

During a Cabinet session, Khasawneh said that had it not been to the expansion in bed capacity through field hospitals, the situation would have been worse, stressing the responsibility of all in fighting the pandemic and taking the vaccines, which he stressed, are “all safe”.

The premier said that the fight against the pandemic is a national responsibility until overcoming the crisis and resuming the reopening of sectors during the coming summer, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He added that hospitals in the central region, comprising Amman, Balqa, Zarqa and Madaba, witness mounting pressures and have higher occupancy rates compared with the national level, noting that the occupancy rate in the central region on Wednesday for ICU beds stood at some 77 per cent and more than 30 per cent for ventilators. 

On the other hand, the prime minister said that the occupancy rates at the national level are still within reasonable limits, with some 50 per cent for isolation beds, a bit higher for ICU beds, and 30 per cent for ventilators.

Khasawneh stressed that the recent measures taken by the government were “extremely important” to reduce the number of infections and relieve hospitals from pressure.

The premier noted that these measures will be accompanied by expansion in the national vaccination campaign, adding that the Kingdom is still in a “comfortable position” regarding the procurement of various COVID vaccines.

The prime minister called on all members of the public to work with “one spirit”, noting that the government is “forced” to implement these new public safety measures and does not want to further burden the economic sectors or the people.