NH hospitals concerned about rising COVID-19 cases
Rising COVID-19 hospitalizations on top of staffing challenges and high occupancy rates are being called a troubling combination for New Hampshire hospitals.New Hampshire hospital officials said they’re concerned that rising COVID-19 cases, coupled with the return of winter viruses, will exacerbate staffing issues.”We’re already at, somedays, 75% to 90% capacity with just general care,” said Dr. Neil Meehan, chief physician executive at Exeter Hospital.Officials at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover said they’re already feeling the pressure after a jump in COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks.”We’re experiencing a four- to five-time increase in the number of inpatients who are admitted either for or with COVID-19,” said Martha Wassell, infection prevention director at Wentworth-Douglass.Statewide on Wednesday, 162 people with COVID-19 were in New Hampshire hospitals, double the number from a month ago. Of those patients, 49 were hospitalized because of COVID-19, the most since the New Hampshire Hospital Association began reporting that number in March.Four new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported by New Hampshire health officials Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths in the state since the start of the pandemic to 2,725. There were 270 new cases reported Wednesday, bringing the statewide case total to 354,923.Meehan said that while vaccines are keeping many out of the hospital and increasing survival rates, even patients who just test positive stretch hospital resources.”It leads to more precautions,” he said. “They need to be isolated in their own room or cohorted with other patients who may have COVID.”He said Exeter Hospital is fully staffed in critical areas, while Wentworth-Douglass has staff members out with COVID-19.”We are concerned looking ahead at the winter, with the trends we’ve already seen before we’re even into the flu season,” Wassell said.Doctors said the rising COVID-19 coupled with an expected rise in seasonal illnesses will add to the pressure hospitals are facing.”You have classic viruses like RSV that have a seasonality in the winter,” Meehan said. “You have influenza, which also has its own death rate and own seriousness throughout the winter that we deal with every year, and then we will have a surge of COVID, as well.” The resounding message from doctors is to get the flu vaccine and get up to date on all COVID-19 boosters to help protect communities and the health care system.** Town-by-town: COVID-19 case data **
Rising COVID-19 hospitalizations on top of staffing challenges and high occupancy rates are being called a troubling combination for New Hampshire hospitals.
New Hampshire hospital officials said they’re concerned that rising COVID-19 cases, coupled with the return of winter viruses, will exacerbate staffing issues.
“We’re already at, somedays, 75% to 90% capacity with just general care,” said Dr. Neil Meehan, chief physician executive at Exeter Hospital.
Officials at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover said they’re already feeling the pressure after a jump in COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks.
“We’re experiencing a four- to five-time increase in the number of inpatients who are admitted either for or with COVID-19,” said Martha Wassell, infection prevention director at Wentworth-Douglass.
Statewide on Wednesday, 162 people with COVID-19 were in New Hampshire hospitals, double the number from a month ago. Of those patients, 49 were hospitalized because of COVID-19, the most since the New Hampshire Hospital Association began reporting that number in March.
Four new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported by New Hampshire health officials Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths in the state since the start of the pandemic to 2,725.
There were 270 new cases reported Wednesday, bringing the statewide case total to 354,923.
Meehan said that while vaccines are keeping many out of the hospital and increasing survival rates, even patients who just test positive stretch hospital resources.
“It leads to more precautions,” he said. “They need to be isolated in their own room or cohorted with other patients who may have COVID.”
He said Exeter Hospital is fully staffed in critical areas, while Wentworth-Douglass has staff members out with COVID-19.
“We are concerned looking ahead at the winter, with the trends we’ve already seen before we’re even into the flu season,” Wassell said.
Doctors said the rising COVID-19 coupled with an expected rise in seasonal illnesses will add to the pressure hospitals are facing.
“You have classic viruses like RSV that have a seasonality in the winter,” Meehan said. “You have influenza, which also has its own death rate and own seriousness throughout the winter that we deal with every year, and then we will have a surge of COVID, as well.”
The resounding message from doctors is to get the flu vaccine and get up to date on all COVID-19 boosters to help protect communities and the health care system.
** Town-by-town: COVID-19 case data **
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