LONGVIEW — PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center expanded the number of rooms dedicated to COVID-19 patients after hospitalizations jumped from the mid-20s to more than 40 over the weekend.
As of Monday morning, the Longview hospital had 39 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 24 one week ago.
The hospital increased its COVID-19 unit on the fourth floor from 20 to 32 beds earlier this month. St. John staff Monday began to transform eight intensive care unit rooms into COVID-19 isolation units, according to a press release from the hospital.
“The patients who are coming to us for care today are sicker than those who came in previous coronavirus waves,” Jim Zolnowski, St. John director of nursing, said in a statement. “The delta variant is proving to be not only more easily transmissible, but also driving younger, sicker patients to us for care.”
Cowlitz County recorded 201 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the weekend, bringing its total to 8,053. The county has recorded 8,933 total cases, including 880 probable cases (individuals with a positive antigen test, but no positive molecular test). Cowlitz County reported one new COVID-19 death, for 111 total.
The county recorded 971 new cases per 100,000 from Aug. 2 to Aug. 15, compared to the state’s two-week rate of 482 new cases per 100,000 people, according to the state Department of Health.
Cowlitz County recorded 30.8 new COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people from Aug. 5 to Aug. 11. The state reported 11.7 hospitalizations per 100,000 for the same week.
Unlike during prior COVID-19 waves, St. John cannot easily transfer its most severely ill patients to other hospitals for higher levels of care, as every hospital in the region is struggling with capacity, according to PeaceHealth.
“Unfortunately we are seeing steady daily increases in the number of patients requiring hospitalization for COVID-19,” said Cherelle Montanye, St. John chief administrative officer. “We must do all we can to be ready for what may come.”
St. John is clearing space in its parking lot for an emergency tent to help hold or treat patients and expects it to be ready later this week, Montanye said. PeaceHealth Southwest in Vancouver set up a tent outside its emergency department Friday for an overflow waiting area.
PeaceHealth strongly advocates COVID-19 vaccination for anyone who is medically able.
“We hope that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) action today to grant full approval of the Pfizer vaccine removes doubt from those who have been hesitant,” said Montanye. “Our hospital, our caregivers and our community are counting on everyone to do their part in helping us get through this difficult moment.”
As of Saturday, 50.3 percent of Cowlitz County residents had initiated vaccination and 45.5 percent were fully vaccinated.
