Hospital systems are sounding the alarm about what they’re able to handle as COVID cases keep rising in Michigan.
When hospitals reach near capacity, the consequences aren’t limited to the people who have COVID. It impacts everyone who may need medical services. Michigan’s seven-day moving average of cases is now up to around 7,000 cases per day.
Read: COVID in Michigan: Breaking down the 4 numbers you need to know
Beaumont Health put out a chart showing the steady climb of positive COVID test rates since summer. It was 3% on July 1 and now it’s 14%. Healthcare leaders have been saying that hospitals have been under strain for months. Now the level of concern has grown even more dramatically.
They’re asking every Michigander to do their part to help hospitals. The current situation is a combination of many factors. But two stand out: Staffing shortages that limit hospital bed availability and more hospitalized patients with non-COVID medical problems. That’s all on top of quickly skyrocketing COVID cases.
Brian Peters is the CEO of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
“Perilous is a great word to use because we have seen a nearly 40% increase in daily emergency department visits in Michigan hospitals and that’s a statewide number in some of our hospitals that number is even more severe,” Peters said.
The danger right now is different than at the start of the pandemic when we were worried about running out of ventilators. But hospital beds and ER space is at a premium. Slowing the surge will make everyone safer.
Read: Complete Michigan COVID coverage