SANTIAGO: Chile is a world leader in its coronavirus vaccination program and has already given at least one dose to almost a third of its population. He expects to see “a real effect on the requirement of intensive care unit (ICU) beds for the most at-risk people” in mid April. Health care authorities say they have noticed a difference in the identity of those occupying ICU beds since the first wave of the pandemic: patients are younger and sicker. ICU beds are running at 95 percent occupancy, even in places like Coquimbo, 460 kilometers to the north of Santiago. Before March 2020 it had eight ICU beds, but there are now 38 and this week 46 people required hospital treatment for Covid-19.

Source: Manila Times March 28, 2021 16:07 UTC