Cardiac arrests surge in New York, overwhelming first responders as at-home coronavirus deaths spike
April 9, 2020, 7:00 AM EDT
By Daniella Silva
"Every cardiac arrest I go to, I leave very emotional. I cry, because it's real. It's serious," one paramedic said.
The Fire Department of New York has registered a staggering increase in calls for cardiac arrest patients as the coronavirus outbreak grips the city. From March 20 to April 5, the agency logged an average of 195 cardiac arrest calls daily, with 129 people dying. That's compared to 65 cardiac arrest calls a day and 27 deaths over the same period last year.
The surge comes as the governing body for New York City Emergency Medical Services last week issued an order that units could no longer transport cardiac arrest patients to hospitals unless there were signs of life at the scene. "We had to pronounce the patient on the floor," said one paramedic. "That hurts, because you're leaving them right there in front of their family."
more:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nyc-first-responders-describe-devastating-coronavirus-cases-cardiac-arrest-calls-n1179376?cid=eml_nbn_20200409
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