Hospitals scramble for dialysis machines amid surge in COVID-19 patients with kidney failure

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/493509-hospitals-scramble-for-dialysis-machines-amid-surge-in-covid-19-patients-with

By J. Edward Moreno - 04/18/20 07:05 PM EDT

Hospitals are scrambling for dialysis machines amid the surge of COVID-19 patients experiencing kidney failure, according to the New York Times.

Those suffering from severe illness from COVID-19 experience differing levels of organ failure.

Kidney specialists estimate that 20 to 40 percent of patients in intensive care for complications associated with a COVID-19 infection suffered kidney failure and needed emergency dialysis, according to the Times.

There is still no research that suggests kidneys are particularly targeted by the disease.

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The newspaper reported that hospitals are not only lacking machines to perform the kidney treatment, but fluids and other supplies needed for dialysis.

Hospitals have reported a shortage of medical equipment for the past month including personal protective equipment and ventilators, and have requested resources that have grown scarce while treating the respiratory virus.

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