COVID-19 hospitalizations are close to the highest they’ve ever been, as Michigan’s third wave of the pandemic grows ever worse.
That’s taking its toll on doctors, nurses, and other medical staff who are forced to care for COVID patients to the exclusion of almost anything else.
“We’re struggling at times to cope with just the sheer numbers and we’re doing everything we can to do that,” said Dr. Tom Mikulski in an interview with WWMT. He’s an emergency physician at Bronson Methodist Hospital.
Bronson reported that 45 COVID-19 patients came through their emergency room this past Tuesday. At the same time, the hospital was treating 58 inpatients for the coronavirus – a significant increase over their average from just a month ago.
New infections in Kalamazoo County have gotten much worse over the past month. The seven day average of new infections rose 713% in that time, resulting in more than 4,000 new infections.
A variant of the coronavirus may be to blame for that increase. The county has confirmed 70 cases of the more virulent B.1.1.7 variant since it was first discovered in January.
Doctors encourage residents to continue to practice caution. That means wearing masks in public and avoiding gatherings.
You can read more here.
Independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy. Make a donation today.
Thank you to the community institutions that support our work:
