ICU physicians advocate for halting the "corona crisis halt," citing necessity.
In recent developments, the DIVI intensive care bed registry has issued a warning about the potential strain on Germany's healthcare system due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. The registry, which provides daily updates on the status of intensive care beds, predicts that if vaccination efforts are relaxed, lockdowns remain in place, and the incidence rate rises to 200, there could be between 5,000 and 6,000 COVID-19 intensive care patients.
This forecast is concerning given that, as of the latest information up to July 2025, approximately 70 to 80 percent of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in Germany are occupied by non-COVID-19 patients. While current COVID-19 ICU bed occupancy rates are not explicitly detailed, the high baseline ICU usage and established policy thresholds indicate that a surge to an incidence rate of 200 would very likely overwhelm ICU capacity unless mitigated by prompt public health action.
The potential consequences of such a rise in incidence are significant. The risk of ICU bed saturation increases, especially if COVID-19 patient numbers grow considerably in addition to the baseline 70–80% ICU occupancy by non-COVID patients. This could push hospitals to their absolute capacity limits, potentially preventing admission of other patients.
Moreover, the activation of stricter measures such as contact restrictions and limitations on public access to leisure facilities might be necessary to reduce transmission and preserve hospital capacity. Longer hospital stays and resource strain are also likely, as hospital length of stay in Germany averages about 7.2 days.
The situation on some intensive care units, such as in Cologne, is already described as "very tense". Lung specialist and the scientific director of the DIVI intensive care bed registry, Christian Karagiannidis, has expressed his concern about the rising COVID-19 numbers and warned politicians about the need to adhere to the "corona emergency brake" to prevent the situation from worsening.
Karagiannidis shared this information with the "Cologne City-Anzeiger" newspaper, stating that if the current trend continues, the number of COVID-19 intensive care patients could exceed the capacity of hospitals in Germany. It's important to note that as of now, there are approximately 3,000 COVID-19 intensive care patients, a level similar to October 2020.
The DIVI intensive care bed registry is a reliable source for daily updates on the status of intensive care beds in Germany. Their predictions underscore the importance of continued vigilance and adherence to public health guidelines to protect the healthcare system and ensure the wellbeing of all patients.
- The high occupancy of intensive care unit (ICU) beds by non-COVID-19 patients in Germany, as revealed by the DIVI intensive care bed registry, points to the medical-conditions that already strain the healthcare system.
- The science behind the DIVI intensive care bed registry's prediction indicates that a surge in COVID-19 cases, coupled with the current health-and-wellness landscape, could lead to an overwhelming situation, potentially compromising the care of non-COVID-19 patients.
