DETROIT – Emergency rooms are overwhelmed with patients in Metro Detroit.
Michigan continues to lead the country in COVID case rates, but did see a drop in cases on Saturday.
April 17, 2021: Michigan coronavirus cases up to 785,307; Death toll now at 16,840
The state has added 5,530 new cases Saturday.
Lake Huron Medical Center said ambulance traffic is being rerouted, but all walk-in traffic is being treated. The Port Huron Hospital said it’s sending patients to other hospitals.
“One of the big concerns that we have right now is capacity,” said Dr. Justin Skrzynski.
Dr. Justin Skrzynski helps run of the COVID units at Beaumont Royal Oak and he said there’s no way of getting around it, “We would say the hospitals are about 90-95% full right now,” said Skrzynski.
READ: Beaumont officials very worried about staff as Michigan hospitals fill up with COVID patients
That’s because they’re seeing more and more positive COVID cases.
“One of the big issues with COVID care is that it just takes up more space than regular medical care. So you can imagine if the hospital is filling up with COVID patients, they keep displacing all of the non-COVID care, more and more,” said Skrzynski.
And they’re not alone.
“So currently at the Detroit Medical Center, just like everybody else, we have seen an uptick in COVID positive cases,” said Dr. Patricia Wilkerson-Uddyback.
Uddyback, with Detroit Medical Center, said they’re seeing more younger people this time around.
“This population of COVID positive cases are much younger. I’d say anywhere from, mid 20s, early 30s to 50s,” Uddyback said. “I think people are starting to let their guards down. They’re outside, it’s getting warmer. We cannot let our guards down.”