by Kevin Zimmermann
SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) – The Sheboygan County Division of Public Health warned on Wednesday of “alarming trends” in the trajectory of case rates and of the resulting impact on local hospital capacity to treat all who need it. The release follows up on the issuance on October 8th of an Emergency Action Alert when the rising trend became apparent in the data gathered and reported daily to track the progress of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wednesday’s release noted the increase in case rate; recorded between August 18th and September 1st at 167 positive cases per 100,000 population with approximately 12 new cases reported each day. As of Tuesday, October 20th, that had increased to 782 positive cases per 100,000, and around 56 new daily cases reported between September 30th and October 13th. The resulting 369% increase in confirmed positive cases in Sheboygan County resulted since the start of the new school year, with similar trends measured in the local health care capacity.
As of Friday, October 17th, the 7-day rolling average for total hospitalizations between both county hospital systems was 9 confirmed positive patients per day. That’s a 64% increase since the start of the fall semester. The average ICU bed use has nearly doubled, and the medical surgical beds required for confirmed COVID-19 patients has tripled. Yesterday, October 20th, Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center and HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital reported 80% of our local medical surgical beds are being used in the county, and 83% of local ICU beds are currently occupied – by both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
Complicating the situation, the County DPH says COVID-19 patients typically require longer hospitalizations than other illnesses, and the increase in cases causes a pileup as new patients are added to the lingering population of recovering individuals. The implications are that it becomes difficult to safely discharge patients to alternative care settings, and the higher volume of COVID positive patients will eventually lead to an increased need to transfer patients outside of Sheboygan County for treatment. But that, too, becomes problematic as 90% of regional hospital beds in both Southeast and Northeast Wisconsin are already occupied.
In order to mitigate the crunch, the County DPH urged people to follow the Wisconsin State Emergency Orders on masking and capacity limits, and for businesses and community organizations to follow WEDC guidelines. Remote work should be encouraged to promote physical distancing, the hospitality sector should minimize person-to-person contact and encourage curbside pickup and delivery options, and to require masks and face coverings.
As for gatherings, indoor gatherings of any size are not recommended, and outdoor gatherings should be limited to 10 people or fewer, physically distanced and with faces covered.
County Administrator Adam Payne concluded the release saying: “I trust none of us want to see our hospitals overwhelmed. If we all take some personal responsibility to help slow the spread of this virus we are helping our healthcare workers and community.”
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