Columbus Regional Hospital hit a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations earlier this week amid a nationwide surge of infections that shows no signs of letting up.
On Sunday, a record 54 people were hospitalized at CRH with COVID-19, marking the eighth time this month that hospitalizations have reached an all-time high.
The previous record for COVID-19 hospitalizations before November was 22 patients on Aug. 24.
However, hospitalizations had dipped down to 40 by Tuesday morning, but hospital officials said that number could increase over the course of the day as more patients get admitted and pending test results come back.
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For instance, there were 44 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at CRH on Friday morning, but that number later grew to 53, which was an all-time record at the time, according to hospital figures.
Eight of the patients hospitalized at CRH with COVID-19 on Tuesday morning were listed in critical condition, with the remaining 32 in stable or stable-critical condition, the hospital said.
Currently, 34 CRH employees are quarantining due to testing positive for COVID-19 or having symptoms consistent with the coronavirus, hospital official said.
The hospital was at 75% to 80% capacity on Tuesday morning based on a combination of available staff and beds.
The high volume of COVID-19 patients at CRH comes as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to surge across the state, including Bartholomew County.
A total of 3,279 people were hospitalized in Indiana with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections as of Monday — an all-time high and up 1,520 since Nov. 1, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana also is shattering records, with at least 124,581 Hoosiers testing positive for COVID-19 so far in November, compared to 181,957 positive cases from March to October.
The alarming surge in cases this month is also being seen in Bartholomew County.
Nearly 1,500 Bartholomew County residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in November, compared to 1,600 during the seven-month period from March to October.
“That we have matched the previous seven-month total in the current month of November is proof that the surge of COVID-19 is here,” said Dr. Brian Niedbalski, Bartholomew County health officer. “We need to be as diligent as ever with physical distancing, proper mask wearing, and good hygiene.”
