MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – As COVID-19 cases surge, so do ongoing concerns over Wisconsin’s hospital capacity.
“These are stark numbers,” sad DHS secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “With our current surge in cases our hospital numbers are going to get worse before they get better.”
22% more COVID-19 patients are in the hospital compared to last week. The Northwest region saw that number rise 52%. But, Palm says hospital capacity issues go beyond numbers of open beds.
“It is adequate staff to appropriately staff those beds. So it’s a really important part of how we maintain the capacity of our health care system.”
To help ease those capacity issues, the first COVID-19 patient was sent to the Alternative Care Facility near Milwaukee.
Deb Standridge, CEO of State Fair Park Alternative Care Facility, “we are an alternative to continue your care that you are receiving in a hospital. But this is brand new, it’s unique, and unknown to the patient.”
Palm says hospital issues stem from problems with contact tracing.
“On the front end, it overwhelms the public health infrastructure and their ability to do contact tracing. The lagging indicators are our hospitalizations and death.”
Nearly 50 more people will begin working as contact tracers for the state on Monday. Totaling the number to over 300, but the state hopes to have 400.
“We continue to plus up our resources to provide surge and backup to local public health departments,” said Palm.
The state says it will continue to use CARES funding to help local public health departments expand contact tracing.
But, health experts say masking and social distancing are the best ways to slow the spread.
