West Texas Covid-19 cases on the rise; hospital capacity reaching limits

As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Howard County, across West Texas and the nation, Howard County sits at 35% positivity rate, meaning one in every three tested are returning positive. As the numbers continue to rise, the local hospital, Scenic Mountain Medical Center is reaching capacity and searching for ways to increase available beds in the facility.

According to Dr. Rohith Saravanan, Chief Medical Officer for Scenic Mountain Medical Center, the SMMC ICU – a seven bed unit – is at capacity with six positive Covid-19 cases, and the Med/ Surg Floor is also at capacity with 16 Covid-19 patients on the 20 bed unit. With the case numbers rising not only in Howard County, but surrounding areas, SMMC is looking at ways to add additional beds without over extending support services and staff.

As of Monday afternoon, Odessa Regional Medical Center was at capacity with 26 positive Covid-19 cases and Midland Memorial and Medical Center are sitting around 90 Covid-19 patients in house. According to Dr. Saravanan, all area hospitals are currently looking at ways to expand their capacity in order to be able to not only care for Covid-19 patients, but other patients who are coming in through the Emergency Rooms and in need of Med/Surg or ICU admittance.

“We have been grateful for the support that the State has sent us. They have been able to provide nursing staff as well as a few RT (Respiratory Therapists), but at this point they have exhausted the pool of trained ICU staff and critical care providers,” Dr. Saravanan said. “The State is operating in real time to our responses and typically within a few days we are able to have the resources we requested, but there will be a time where those resources will run out and we are reaching that point when it comes to trained staff.”

At the onset of the pandemic, Howard County and West Texas were able to keep the number of positive cases down with added precautions being enforced such as the two-week shutdown across the state, mask mandates and closures of nonessential businesses.

“At the beginning we were able to keep the numbers low and utilize that time to prepare for when the surge hit. Our PPE (personal protection equipment) is in healthy supply currently, but the ability to admit patients who are in need of care is getting to be more difficult with staff and resource availability as numbers rise.)

Dr. Saravanan continued, “The shutdown helped keep the numbers at bay, and while re-opening is important because our economy is important it needs to be done in a safe manner. There is obvious fatigue in the community when it comes to the recommended preventative measures. We as a collective whole stopped adhering to