The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) is "alarmed and seriously preoccupied that the patients in Mater Dei Hospital's ITU are increasing exponentially."

In a statement, the union said that on Sunday morning, 15 Covid positive patients are in the intensive care unit compared to last week where there were only 6 Covid-19 patients.

"Mater Dei Hospital (MDH) management, righty so, increased the staff in the ITU by deploying more nurses from the relieving pool. This implies that with the depletion of nurses from the relief pool, MDH does not have enough nurses to open new areas if the admissions to MDH continue to increase."

"Such depletion of nurses from the relief pool placed MDH management in such a position that no nurses  are available to be deployed in areas such as MDH corridors or wards which already have depleted staff and need the support of more nurses. Such areas include those taken from the University of Malta to care for Covid-19 positive patients."

The MUMN said that the number of ITUs at MDH have already increased from two to six.

MUMN is appealing both to the Health Division and the General Public. "The General Public should be aware that if the hospital is overwhelmed with patients, there would be no other option but a lock down, due to the fact that there will be no room for the sick in MDH anymore."

"It would be wise for people to stop mixing and having parties in their private homes or other areas."

"Nobody wants a lockdown, including the nurses and all healthcare workers, but if the hospital is overwhelmed with patients, then all freedom and entertainment would be lost. The number of Covid-19 positive patients are increasing at a very high rate in MDH and the nurses/doctors are doing their utmost to cope with the huge demand that such admissions are bringing about. This is just the tip of the iceberg since winter has not even started and more cases would be expected." The general public should stop having social gathering in their own homes, stop inviting relatives and adhere more rigorously to social distancing and other measures, MUMN said.

MUMN appealed to the Health Division. "With all the boasting that 200 nurses are to be employed soon by the Health Minister, only 5 nurses have been employed in MDH. This is not the time of theatrical tactics as this is literally a life and death situation. The Health Minister is to keep his word and deliver the promised 200 nurses much needed to MDH."

The MUMN expects that the needed 200 foreign nurses be employed immediately, "since MDH nurses are already working under high stress conditions due to a staff shortage."