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‘This is ridiculous’ -- COVID-19 overwhelms Metro Detroit hospitals

DETROIT – Medical professionals are often on the front lines of stressful situations, but many have never experienced anything like what is happening with coronavirus (COVID-19).

RELATED: ‘It is scary’: Metro Detroit nurse voices concerns as she cares for coronavirus (COVID-19) patient

Video from inside a regular patient floor at Sinai-grace Hospital in Detroit captured gowns, trash and dirty floors. The regular cleaning crews were not allowed inside rooms to reduce the risk of coronavirus.

Nurses said they are exhausted and are expected to handle everything as more sick people overwhelm every area of the hospital.

According to one nurse, some patients are so sick that they die before the coronavirus test comes back.

She said she has to speak up for her patients -- some are waiting on test results and are sharing rooms with people who have coronavirus.

“If you have a patient who is positive and 40-years-old and a patient who is 80 that doesn’t have coronavirus, that patient doesn’t have a chance at life," she said. "This is ridiculous.”

She said she signed up to help people who are suffering, but her family did not and her biggest fear is bringing the infection home with her.

Detroit Medical Center released the following statement:

"Every day the DMC is caring for a growing number of COVID-19 patients.

Like all health systems in our area we are being seriously impacted by resource capacity issues related to COVID-19 patients. The demand to care for the ever-increasing number of patients is putting a strain on our resources and staff.

We are using all available space in our hospitals to care for patients. We have converted operating rooms, outpatient areas and recovery rooms into patient treatment areas to handle the surge. We are working on ways to mitigate capacity issues by moving patients from hospital to hospital within our system."

Question about coronavirus? Ask Dr. McGeorge here.

Read more about coronavirus here.

Anyone who believes they might have coronavirus should follow the CDC guidelines. Michigan.gov has a list of resources available to those concerned about COVID-19.

More information on coronavirus (COVID-19):


About the Authors
Shawn Ley headshot

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Dane Kelly headshot

Dane is a producer and media enthusiast. He previously worked freelance video production and writing jobs in Michigan, Georgia and Massachusetts. Dane graduated from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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