The latest surge in cases is affecting patient numbers at area hospitals. At Munson Healthcare hospitals, they say they’ve seen a 60% increase in the number of inpatients with COVID-19.
Munson says it will be watching for any further increases over the next couple of weeks as the monitor for impacts from Spring Break. This week Munson reported 91 patients in its hospitals – up from 53 just two weeks ago. In January that number was in the single digits.
Munson Healthcare’s Regional Marketing & Communications Manager Brian Lawson says, “This is as many COVID-19 patients as we’ve had in our hospitals for the entire pandemic. We are managing the caseload. But we really need to try to gain control of the infection rate in the community right now, and those hospitalizations.”
Lawson says wearing a mask, social distancing and vaccination are the keys to preventing a strain on the healthcare system.
There are no plans so far to make changes to surgical schedules at Munson. Lawson says, “We’re implementing patient surge plans and adjusting based on the increasing amount of hospitalizations we’re seeing. As well as the needs of other patient who require emergent care. That’s an ongoing process. We’re monitoring the numbers every day from an infection rate standpoint.”
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