The need for a fully functioning modern hospital system, where an infected person can go to be treated by medical staff, rather than deteriorate at home, is once again coming to the fore in the United States. It is even more true in the developing world, where facilities are very limited, and often outdated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the nation’s 7-day average of daily new cases was 113,357, as of Aug. 11. That is a 24% increase from the week before and a 876% jump from the lowest case average in June. The CDC also reports that the delta variant makes up 97% of new U.S. COVID cases.
This is like a vise being applied against the U.S. hospital system.
In Oregon, as of Aug. 13, the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization rate reached 16 per 100,000 residents, an increase of 128% in the past 14 days, and the fifth largest increase among all states. “If you come to our hospital for any reason, we might not be able to help you,” Amanda Kotler, RN, vice president of nursing at Asante Rogue Medical Center in Medford and Asante Ashland Community hospital told an Aug. 12 news conference.
