CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC
800 hospitalized statewide for COVID-19
Statewide
death toll rises to 90 as Abbott announces more hospital capacity
By
Nicole Cobler
More
than 800 people are being treated for COVID-19 in Texas hospitals, a fourfold
increase from five days ago, Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday.
At the
same time, Texas health officials continue
to
expand the number of available beds and specialized equipment to treat patients
stricken with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus sweeping the
state and country.
Abbott
said the state’s bed capacity for coronavirus patients has grown by 142%.
There
are now nearly 20,000 hospital beds statewide designated for COVID-19 patients,
Abbott said. That’s a nearly 4,000-bed increase from the governor’s last update
on Sunday, and up from 8,100 beds identified on March 18.
In
addition, state health officials have identified 2,200 intensive care unit beds
that could be used for coronavirus patients, and they could further
expand the state’s capacity to treat COVID-19
patients by using emergency room beds, said Republican former state Rep. John
Zerwas, a physician from Richmond, whom Abbott appointed to a team working to
expand hospital capacity and procure additional supplies.
Abbott
for the first time revealed the number of ventilators — a life-saving device
for critically ill patients — available for use statewide: 8,741.
“We are
fully prepared for the hospital needs of Texans,” Abbott said at a Capitol news
conference. “Our capacity should prevent us from facing the type of situation
that New York is having to deal with today.”
He said
827 people have been hospitalized statewide because of COVID-19, or 15% of
those who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
State
officials have not regularly reported statewide hospitalization figures. On
Sunday, Abbott said there were 176 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Texas and
just 2% of available hospital beds statewide for COVID-19 patients were
occupied.
Abbott attributed
the jump in patient numbers in part to better reporting.
“The
827 that I have as of today is the aggregation of public health authorities and
the info we have received from hospitals across the state,” he said. “It is the
most cumulative information we have.”
The
number of coronavirus related deaths state wide jumped to 90 on Friday, up from
70 the daybefore.Therearenow5,330 cases in 145 counties.
Those
figures were reported by state health authorities at midday. Hours
later, Travis county officials announced the county’s fourth
death from the virus, described as a woman over 70. The
county’s number of confirmed cases soared Friday to 430, an
increase of 79 new cases from the day before — the biggest daily
jump since the pandemic hit the area. Sixty-eight
of the
430 people are hospitalized, Austin officials said.
‘Incredibly
well prepared’
State
officials provided COVID-19 hospital bed capacity by region. In the Austin area,
thereare1,359availablebedsout ofatotalof2,584.Therearealso 153 ICU beds
available, according to data from the governor’s office.
Zerwas
said he remains confident that the number of COVID-19 patients will not
overwhelm hospitals’ ability to treat them.
“I
would just point out that even with those hospitalizations, if you look at the capacity
we have built into the system right now, we’re certainly incredibly well
prepared to see any kind of uptick in that,” Zerwas said.
Abbott’s
press conference comes as doctors across the country express growing concerns
about the number of available hospital beds for patients who test positive for
COVID-19andalackofprotective gear for healthcare workers who treat them.
Last
month, Abbott issued directives to open up hospital beds by postponing surgeries
that are not medically necessary, allowing two patients per hospital room and
increasing staffing.
Texas
Hospital Association spokeswoman Carrie Williams said beds are only part of the
problem.
“Texas
hospitals are going to keep pushing for supplies and capacity till we clear the
curve,” she said in an emailed statement. “We simply don’t have the (personal
protective equipment) we need to protect staff. Countless elements have to come
together to provide patient care, and beds are just one component.”
Over the
past six days, Abbott said his “Supply Chain Strike Force” has distributed more
than 1.4 million face masks and 2millionglovesacrossthestate. Abbott created
the temporary task force as part of a March executive order, which directed the
group to ensure health care facilities have the supplies they need.
Field
hospitals
State
officials are assessing available space in Austin and other cities for use as
field hospitals.
Zerwas
said Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio and NRG Arena in Houston are being
equipped with about 250 beds each. They likely would be used for patients
convalescing after treatment for COVID-19, he said.
He said
hotels also could be used for that purpose.
On
Sunday, officials said the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas was
to be modified to include 250 beds, with an expansion to 1,400 beds possible.
Local
officials announced Monday that they are designating twofacilities,withabout100
beds total — one in Williamson County and the other in Travis County — to
isolate and treat nursing home residents who test positive for COVID-19 but do
not require hospitalization. More isolation facilities could open in the
future.
Staff
writer Katie Hall contributed to this report.
