Dr Aidan Burrell, Intensivist & head of general ICU at the Alfred Hospital / Monash University’s Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Center, talks to Luke Grant about research that has captured the first national snapshot of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU’s around the country since the outbreak hit Australian shores. 

 

A collaborative study, led by Monash University, has captured national data on the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU since 14 March when the outbreak began in Australia.

The project, led by Dr Aidan Burrell and Professor Andrew Udy of Monash University’s ANZIC‐RC, is also contributing the data to the University of Oxford, that is managing the global SPRINT-SARI database.

To date, state and territory health authorities have reported 6,948 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, including 97 deaths.

“The COVID-19 viral pandemic may represent an unprecedented challenge to intensive care services throughout Australia and New Zealand. We are fortunate to have world class intensive care services, with a highly trained and professional workforce who are ready and able to serve their communities at this time,” Dr Burrell says.