Hospitalizations for COVID patients surge in Ky., hospitals say they’re ready

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Some Kentucky hospitals are seeing an exponential increase in patients, more than over the summer.

The big focus initially in March was on containing the virus so we wouldn’t overwhelm hospitals.

Dr. William Melahn is the Chief Medical Officer for St. Claire Healthcare, a hospital in Morehead. He says St. Claire inpatients for COVID-19 are definitely increasing quickly.

Some critical of Governor Beshear say he’s being alarmist by showing hospitalization data at his daily briefings.

“That is absolutely not alarmist at all,” Dr. Melahn said. “That is exactly the kind of information that we need to be sharing right now. That’s actually late information.”

Late information as in people need to help start slowing the spread of the virus before it gets to hospitalization.

At St. Claire the increase in patients might not seem huge. Dr. Melahn says there are seven people admitted with COVID-19, as compared to one or two a few months ago.

But it’s enough to cause concern right now for smaller, rural hospitals.

Lexington hospitals say they’re doing okay, yet even they’re seeing increases.

There were 57 COVID-19 patients Tuesday at UK Healthcare and 42 at Baptist Health Lexington.

All three say they have surge plans and can adjust beds to accommodate influxes of patients.

“‘Maybe not everybody needs to be hospitalized,’ let me just dispel that myth right away,” Dr. Melahn said. “The patients that we have with covid are very ill. They require a lot of supportive care about 40% of ours have required intensive care.”

And he also says don’t think it’s just the elderly in the hospital.

“Who cares. Everybody who is a person deserves appropriate treatment…I don’t care if they’re 92 or 29, it’s still a tragedy to die of a preventable illness like this,” he said.

Remember, the scary stories from early spring when doctors in Italy had to choose who lived and who died? Could that happen in Kentucky or are hospitals ready for more cases?

Dr. Melahn says hospitals will do whatever is necessary.

“We’re absolutely ready. But we certainly can get overwhelmed,” he said.

To help he urges people to take care of yourself long before you get sick, wear your mas, and evaluate your symptoms before you leave the house.

But if you need care, COVID-19 related or not, hospitals like st. Claire are there and can still help regardless of a surge.