Smithfield, NC – Coronavirus cases are increasing across North Carolina and hospitals in the area are running out of space.
On Monday, a new record number of people treated by COVID-19 was recorded in hospitals across the state, at 3,192. He also saw Johnston County Health reach its maximum capacity at its Clayton and Smithfield Hospitals.
“There just aren’t enough nurses to go and take care of all the patients,” Dr. Rodney McCaskill, chief physician at Johnston Health.
Despite the increase in patients, the number of employees remains.
“I think if you asked me the question that would keep me up all day, [it] it’s about our staff. If you can imagine the patients who work and work so hard and tirelessly every day, then you have to get up and come back the next day, ”said Tom Williams, CEO and President of Johnston Health.
“It will get to a point where there will be no resources available if we have additional patients,” McCaskill added.
Elsewhere, Cape Fear Valley Health is getting closer to 100% of its capacity. The head of medicine, Dr. Sam Fleishman, makes no secret of his discomfort.
“We are very concerned about what this means for our ability to take care of people, now and in the coming months,” Fleishman said. “It has been hard, our staff is extensive. They are all working very hard. Everyone is looking to take out and use all the resources to take care of everyone we can. “
Currently, in North Carolina, 21% of hospitalized people are expected to have or be suspected of having COVID. Christmas and New Year meetings have doctors and health officials preparing for an even larger number over the coming weeks.
“There comes a crisis point, whether it was a tsunami or a hurricane, I would say it’s hitting right now,” Fleishman said. “The damage is here (and) we are facing the urgency of trying to manage it, unless it is much longer than a hurricane. It will continue.”
“We’re definitely experiencing an increase from Thanksgiving,” McCaskill said. “Our concern, which we have planned, is probably meetings that took place at Christmas and next New Year.”
In addition, Fleishman says the overwhelming figures are leading to a lack of nursing, a problem that many other parts of the country are also experiencing.
“I would like people to think of this pandemic the same way I suppose our population did when we were in World War II or the time of the Great Depression,” he said. we need everyone to do their part. “