Ohio Hospitals Feeling Strain Of COVID-19 Surge

COLUMBUS, OH — The current wave of COVID-19 sweeping through Ohio is hitting all of the state's hospitals, according to leading state health officials.

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the incoming chief medical director, Ohio Department of Health, said the state health system is better prepared with resources than it was in the summer. However, medical system staffers are increasingly feeling the brunt of the growing wave and hospital capacity is waning.

"We are seeing an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases in Ohio. Today, we are better prepared with PPE and physical capacity, but what we're seeing now is an increasing demand on our staffing," Vanderhoff said.

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Hospital staffers are increasingly catching COVID-19 in their communities, according to Dr. Robert Wylie, Cleveland Clinic. That is straining staffing at hospitals throughout Ohio's Zone 1 (northern Ohio, from Toledo to Cleveland) and counties throughout the state.

"We need everyone to double down. Please wear a mask and social distance to protect Ohio's caregivers," Wylie said.

The COVID-19 surge has also led to diminished hospital capacity. Dr. Andrew Thomas OSU Wexner Medical Center, said Ohio crossed 2,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals for the first time on Thursday. By Monday, there were 2,500 COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

At the current rate of hospitalizations, Thomas believes non-COVID patients could be crowded out of hospitals in a matter of weeks.

"If we don't control the spread, we won't be able to continue caring for the acutely ill without postponing important, but less urgent, care. This kind of shift could happen in a matter of weeks if trends don't change," Vanderhoff said.

Dr. Richard Lofgren, president of UC Health, said the state is nearing its capacity on contact tracing. He said Ohioans need to step up and do their part to stymie the spread.

Monday's Numbers

Ohio's surge of new COVID-19 cases continued Monday.

In the past 24 hours, health officials have confirmed 4,706 new COVID-19 cases among Ohioans. That's up versus the state's three-week average of 3,398 new cases per day.

While cases were up, other key metrics trended slightly down on Monday.

Seven people have died from COVID-19 complications in the past 24 hours, the Ohio Department of Health confirmed. That's down versus Ohio's average of 21 virus-related deaths per day.

Hospitalizations were also down slightly versus the state's average of 166 COVID-19-related hospitalizations per day.

Here are all of Monday's COVID-19 numbers in Ohio:

• New cases: 4,706
• New deaths: 7
• New hospitalizations: 154
• New ICU admissions: 34

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