TYLER, Texas — While COVID-19 is spiking in Texas, hospital leaders in East Texas say they are comfortable with their ability to handle more patients.
Texas is not setting records for new COVID-19 cases like in other parts of the country, but the number still rising quickly.
In the first week of October, the state reported an average of 3,047 cases per day. In the first week of November, it reported 6,798, more than double. The number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals shot up too, by 71% over the last month.
“We're starting to see that increase over the last two or three weeks,” Dr. Tom Cummins, Chief Medical Officer of UT Health East Texas, said. “I think we've had to generate a little bit more COVID capacity in the hospital to meet those needs. Meanwhile, our community testing rate remains very, very high. Our positivity rate.”
The number of new cases per day in Smith County doubled in the last month, as well. Cummins says that changes in hospitalizations usually lag a couple weeks behind a change in cases, so when the number of cases first began to increase, there was a little bit of time to prepare.
“Generally speaking, we've been running three COVID units for the better part of the last six months,” he explained. “And then, about three weeks ago or so we've added a fourth unit to give us a little bit more space within the building to take care of them safely.”
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, only 10% of the hospital beds in East Texas are occupied by COVID-19 patients. Cummins says patients are coming in for their regular care, as well, just like they used to. But if people do not wear masks, wash their hands frequently, maintain social distancing, and generally be careful, Cummins believes there will be more COVID-19 patients coming to the hospital for treatment.
“Until that vaccine that's being talked about now really becomes readily available,” he said.“Those are our best tools, trying to keep people healthy.”
Cummins says that people should think about their Thanksgiving plans now because family gatherings have been one of the most common recent sources for spreading the virus.