SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The Covid-19 pandemic is leaving São Paulo cities with no available ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds. A total of ten cities in São Paulo are in this situation, according to a survey by the State Secretariat of Regional Development.
The cities with full ICU bed occupancy are Américo Brasiliense, Artur Nogueira, Fernandópolis, Itatiba, Itaquaquecetuba, Mauá, Pirassununga, Porto Feliz, Promissão e Socorro.
In addition, 58 municipalities in São Paulo record at least 80% ICU occupancy. This represents 9% of the total cities in the state.
The regions with the highest number of cities at this level of occupancy are Marília (nine municipalities), Sorocaba (seven municipalities) and Campinas (seven municipalities).
State Secretary of Regional Development, Marco Vinholi reported that he intends to open 186 ICU beds by the end of next week. He also recommended that Mayors should implement more restrictive measures in these municipalities.
“They should follow this advice to impose higher restrictions, heading to the red phase, like São José dos Campos is doing now, even though the city is in a lower phase,” said Vinholi.
The Mayor of Mauá, Marcelo Oliveira, is considering announcing the setting up of a field hospital soon.
“We hope to have an adequate space, at an adequate cost, so that we may announce the potential building of a field hospital by the start of next week”, he said in an interview.
Changes to the São Paulo Plan tomorrow
Governor João Doria has already confirmed that the São Paulo Plan will undergo a reclassification tomorrow, with several regions passing to more restrictive phases.
It is likely that Greater São Paulo, which is currently in the yellow phase, will move to the orange phase, due to its bed occupancy rate which exceeded 70% during the week.