Hospitals in the Houston area are preparing to increase COVID-19 cases

HOUSTON – Health experts at Hermann Memorial Hospital and Baylor St. Luke says they are ready for what may come in the coming weeks.

It is an endless battle with COVID-19. Cases continue to rise in Houston and Harris County.

“Without a doubt, we continue to ask the people of Houston for help to stop this disease. Please be patient, use the mask, use social distancing, wash your hands so we can limit the demand for hospitalization, ”said Dr. David Callender, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System.

On Tuesday, Texas Medical Center reported 4,515 new cases and 388 new hospitalizations.

“We’re concerned that all of these metrics will get worse before they get better,” Callender said.

TMC said there are 1,405 people in the ICU. Of these people, 511 have COVID-19. Several hospitals in our area already have plans in place if the numbers get worse.

“We don’t care about the beds, that’s something we have a lot. Our hospital has two campuses, so we have a second campus where we can expand it if we need to, ”said Dr. Liz Youngblood, president of Baylor St. Luke Medical Center.

“We’ve turned some of the space that isn’t normally used for beds into bed care space in the face of this increased demand, so we’re not out of bed, but we’re clearly concerned,” he said. dir Callender.

Both hospitals also have additional staff, agencies and workers who are willing to help them.

“We’re all busy, everyone is busy and it’s not just COVID-19, but there’s a regular demand for hospital service that exists for people who have heart attacks and cause trauma victims,” Callender said. .