Bartholomew County health officials are warning that the local healthcare system is “almost at a breaking point” as COVID-19 hospitalizations soar and the viral outbreak worsens heading into Thanksgiving.
COVID-19 hospitalizations at Columbus Regional Hospital continued to rise on Monday, with 47 people hospitalized, once again setting an all-time record since the pandemic took root in March.
On Tuesday, there were 43 people hospitalized at CRH with COVID-19, compared to 12 on Nov. 1, the hospital said.
Nine of the patients hospitalized on Tuesday were listed in critical condition, with the other 34 listed as stable, the hospital said.
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Currently, CRH is at about 85% capacity and almost one-third of the 151 patients at the hospital on Tuesday had COVID-19, nearly filling up the entire COVID-19 ward, the hospital said.
Additionally, Schneck Medical Center in Seymour has run out of ICU beds and has been diverting critically ill or injured patients to other hospitals for the past two days, according to The Seymour Tribune.
CRH has not started diverting patients to other facilities and uses a combination of available staff and beds to calculate its occupancy capacity, hospital officials said.
As of Tuesday, 27 CRH staff members were quarantining after testing positive for COVID-19 or having symptoms consistent with the coronavirus, the hospital said.
A total of 107 CRH employees have tested positive for COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic.
“When we look at occupancy, we don’t just look at beds, we look at staff,” said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue. “So we may have more beds available than staff to care for them.”
“Certainly when we get over 75%, 80%, we start worrying,” she added.
The local surge in cases and hospitalizations mirrors similar trends seen statewide, with officials fearing that the record-shattering resurgence of the virus could get worse because of holiday travel and family gatherings over Thanksgiving.
A total of 2,951 people were hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infections as of Monday, up nearly 183 from Sunday and 2,220 since Sept. 12, according to the latest data from the Indiana State Department of Health.
Dr. Brian Niedbalski, Bartholomew County health officer, said an additional spike in cases after Thanksgiving would overwhelm the local health care system.
“We are in the midst of the largest spike in cases that we have seen at the local level,” Niedbalski said. “We have experienced larger surges after holidays since the pandemic started. If we see a large surge after Thanksgiving, our healthcare system will be overwhelmed, as we are currently almost at a breaking point.”
Deaths from COVID-19 also have started to rise.
State health officials are reporting 84 new deaths in Indiana from Oct. 22 to Monday. Two Bartholomew County residents have died from COVID-19 in just over the past week, including a Columbus Regional Health employee.
Scott Gordon, 56, an ambulance care coordinator, paramedic and shift supervisor for CRH EMS Services who had worked for CRH for about 20 years, died from COVID-19 complications earlier this week, the hospital said.
Gordon is the first CRH employee to die from COVID-19.
“So really, really tragic,” DeClue said. “He’d been with CRH for almost 20 years, and just was very highly respected by his peers. He was a leader in his department and ambulance services, did a lot of training and a lot of onboarding with paramedics and EMTs. Nobody had a bad thing to say about him. He just is really, really well liked and well known in our organization and is going to be dearly missed.”
Local health experts are urging people to, among other things, limit Thanksgiving celebrations to people among those in their immediate household, wear masks when they are in stores and restaurants, avoid large gatherings, attend church services virtually and consider staying home and doing carry-out meals or using the drive thru.
“During these unprecedented times, it is wise to listen to experts in the medical field,” Niedbalski said. “These experts have determined the safest celebration is a small gathering with those within your own household. Adding other family members and friends increases the risk. If people from outside your own home are included, it is best to consider outdoor dining and definitely follow guidelines on mask wearing. Avoid larger gatherings and try to visit with loved ones virtually if possible.”
Currently, Bartholomew County finds itself at a crucial moment in the pandemic, Niedbalski said.
“Our current situation is much more serious than when we were shut down this spring,” Niedbalski said. “If people can’t listen and do their part, then more restrictions will need to be put in place locally.”
