Statewide COVID hospitalizations on a slow decline, hospitals quite full
Hospitals are busy statewide, caring for not only COVID-19 patients but other patients as well.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Washington are on the decline, Cassie Sauer, CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association, said, with a little more than 500 hospitalizations statewide.
This marks a continued, slow decline seen this month in COVID-19 hospitalizations. But while COVID-19 hospitalizations are decreasing, hospitals remain fairly full with other patients who need a lot of care.
“The acuity of patients, meaning how sick they are, is going up,” Sauer said. “People are sicker than they were a year or two years ago and what we believe is people are delaying care and think hospitals are too busy with COVID, and they’re coming in much, much sicker.”
Hospital leaders told reporters on Monday that patients should not delay care if they need it and reminded residents that hospitals continue to require face coverings and other COVID protocols.
“This is a safe place to come,” Dr. John Lynch, infectious disease specialist at University of Washington Medicine, said of the system’s hospitals.
“We don’t want people to wait until their conditions are more complicated, or they will suffer,” he added.
Hospitals and health experts asked the public to be cautious and not gather in large groups over Memorial Day if they are not fully vaccinated.
“For those folks who are not yet immune, thinking about it like you’re still in the trenches will keep everyone safe and from being in the hospitals,” Lynch said.
So far, 39% of the state’s total population is fully vaccinated, and 49% of Washington residents over the age of 16 are considered fully vaccinated.
Here’s a look at local numbers:
The Spokane Regional Health District confirmed 154 new cases on Monday and no additional deaths.
There are 75 people hospitalized with the virus in Spokane.
The Panhandle Health District confirmed 88 new cases on Monday and over the weekend and one additional death.
There have been 306 deaths due to COVID-19 in Panhandle residents.
There are 26 Panhandle residents hospitalized with the virus.