Governors note hospitalizations due to COVID

CHARLESTON, W.Va., COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTAP) - The rapid rise in COVID-19 CASES-and hospitalizations-this past month has concerned leaders from both West Virginia and Ohio.

Both Governors Jim Justice of West Virginia and Mike DeWine of Ohio held briefings Monday afternoon, their first since the Thanksgiving holiday. Both discussed the number of people hospitalized, on ventilators and in intensive care.

An Ohio doctor said the number of patients in hospitals has gone up 200% during November.

West Virginia health officials say close to 600 people were hospitalized Sunday, and about a fourth of those were in intensive care.

Governor Jim Justice said some hospitals around the state are planning to cut back on elective surgeries that do not require overnight stays.

But both Justice and his top state health expert says those medical centers are preparing for the days to come.

”With all the hospitals’ leadership and commitment and service to the state,” says state coronavirus task force member Dr. Clay Marsh, “and being able to help each other, we will be able to maintain capacity at this moment. But what we see as perhaps the worst days are ahead of us.

A top Ohio hospital officials who spoke to Governor Mike DeWine also believes hospitals around the state are making decisions on potentially delaying elective surgeries.

Dr. Andrew Thomas, Chief Clinical Officer of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says southeastern Ohio has been hit hard by the latest wave of cases.

”Between 40 and 50% of their patients who are in the ICU or on the ventilator are there because they have COVID,” Dr. Thomas said. “It’s a significant issue we’re concerned about with ICU capacity.”

A spokesman at WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center said Monday the hospital is able to handle COVID cases right now, and “is not at capacity overall”.

Both Camden Clark and Marietta Memorial Hospital last week announced new visitor restrictions to their facilities because of the increased spread of the virus and COVID-19 cases.

Governor DeWine announced Monday he is rescinding an order allowing people working at home to return to their office workplaces. That was scheduled to go into effect January 4.

He added he will discuss at the state’s Thursday briefing a plan to ship vaccines once they become available: currently as soon as mid-December.

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