SPOKANE, WA – Providence Sacred Heart now joining Kootenai Health saying that as hospitals fill up with unvaccinated COVID patients, they’re running out of room for anything else.
Health officials called the situation at hospitals across the state, “grave.”
And with what they call trauma season already here, the amount of non-COVID patients are increasing.
It’s an issue that could mean hospitals are at full capacity within weeks.
Local hospitals are echoing health systems across the country telling the public yet again, “we’re full.”
“We’re nearing roughly 100 patients with COVID,” Dr. Dan Getz, the Providence Health Care Chief Medical Officer said. “So our region is really really tight for beds right now.”
Statewide the numbers are also concerning, with the highest levels of COVID hospitalization ever.
“Right now we are 1240 hospitalizations across Washington state,” Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer said. “That number has been doubling every two weeks.”
Beds are filling up with patients not just in Washington but the region.
“We’re getting calls from places like Oregon, getting calls from Idaho, Montana. This is really at this point when it’s become a national crisis,” Dr. Getz said.
Leading to backed up appointments and long wait times.
“We’re also seeing significant delays in people getting the normal care that they would receive. We look at area ER’s the waits in waiting rooms are significantly higher,” he said.
Health officials urging the public to only go to the doctor if needed and to stay away from risky activities.
“The current situation is very grave, which is why we’re really asking for the public’s help. The state’s help in helping us move out difficult to discharge patients and the publics help in not needing hospital care,” Dr. Lofy said.
However, local health officials say they’re not at the point of saying ‘no we can’t help.’
“I don’t think we’re close to the point where we’d turn patients away,” Dr. Getz said.
But soon, they might have to.
“If we don’t do something to halt the progression of this disease then we’re going to be in a situation in Washington state potentially in a matter of a week or two where we no longer have the capacity to care for patients. That’s what we want to prevent,” he said.
Of course schools should be starting here soon, parents already protesting the mask mandate in place.
Dr. Mike Barsotti with Sacred Heart Children’s hospital said that this Delta surge is bringing more kids into the hospital and if you look at Florida, Texas and Georgia they’re children’s hospital admissions are at it’s peak – with no more space.
Although we haven’t seen that surge here yet, it’s something health officials are preparing for.
Thursday, Spokane recorded another 216 COVID cases.
Panhandle Health in North Idaho reporting another 111… levels we saw at the peak of the pandemic last December.
