DETROIT – COVID case numbers in Michigan have been surging.
There are more than 3,000 people hospitalized, and half of those people are under the age of 60.
Dr. Russell Faust is the Medical Director of the Oakland County Health Division.
“I’m concerned but in general, we’re in a much better place than we were a year ago,” Faust said.
Beaumont Hospital said they were averaging about 100 COVID patients a month, now that number is closer to 600.
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Carolyn Wilson is the Chief Operating Officer of Beaumont Health.
“For us, it’s a very significant increase. We are in another surge in Michigan. It is real. We are seeing people in our hospitals,” Wilson said.
Capacity across eight Beaumont hospitals ranges anywhere from 68% to 100%. Michigan officials said that Beaumont Wayne is at full capacity.
“That number on the state website was a little bit incorrect. We’ve opened additional beds at Wayne, so we are not 100 percent full,” Wilson said.
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Capacity across five Henry Ford hospitals ranges anywhere from 69% to 99%. The state said Henry Ford Macomb is nearing triple digits.
Capacity at Detroit Receiving is at 87% and Children’s Hospital is at 62%. Beaumont said capacity numbers alone can be misleading.
Medical experts said even before the pandemic, hospitals generally operated at about 90 percent capacity.
“Hospitals are just so good. They’ve learned so much in the last year by managing those patients. They do better anyway now, even if they’re severely ill,” Faust said.
“We are very worried that people are waiting too long at home because they’re afraid or scared,” Wilson said. “We will meet your needs when you need to come to the hospital, please do not hesitate. We will take care of you and we will do it in a very safe manner.”
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