Hospitals in Norway are postponing and cancelling surgeries due to a spike in coronavirus cases.
Earlier this month the Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg announced a new national lockdown after it was confirmed that the country is facing a third wave of Covid-19 infections.
Bent Høie, the Minister of Health and Care Services, announced that Norway is now facing a third wave of the mutated and more contagious variant of the virus
He said: “We have seen it happening in many countries in Europe, and we know how tough the third wave can be.”
Hospitals all over the country are closing operating theatres and postponing surgical operations that leads to patients taking up beds after surgery, due to the overwhelming number of Covid-19 patients needing intensive care.
Four patients and five employees tested positive after a virus outbreak at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, resulting in at least 70 other employees having too self-isolate.
The outbreak happened shortly after it was reported that Norway is experiencing a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Lilly Forsberg, 20, is one of many patients who have had their surgeries postponed due to the corona virus outbreak.
Her surgery was scheduled on March 18 at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, but on the day before her surgery she was informed that it had to be postponed.
Even though she understands why her surgery had to be postponed, she admits that she is disappointed.
Lilly Forsberg, from Oslo, Norway
She said: “It is a bit of a sticky situation because I have walked around and mentally prepared myself for several months, and I don’t receive a message until the day before the surgery that it had to be postponed.”
According to VG, Hallvard Fanebust, Clinical Chief at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, said that this is the largest outbreak of infection that they have had at the hospital.
Miss Forsberg is worried that she has to wait a long time before she will be able to have the surgery.
She said: “I have a knee injury that needs surgical treatment. It’s something that affects me every day and a problem I’ve had for many years.”
According to the Norwegian Directorate of Health 5.4% of planned surgical operations are postponed or cancelled. Several hospitals are experiencing staff shortages and outbreaks of the virus among patients and employees.
