Lives Texas towns lack hospital beds to upended cope with rise in COVID patients

There are only 14 hospital beds and not one intensive care unit bed in Iraan, a town of about 1,300 residents in west Texas.

The only doctors in town are family physicians with emergency room experience. The closest hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients that have ventilators, specialists and ICU beds are more than 80 miles away in Midland, Odessa and San Angelo.

And COVID-19 is taking a toll on the oilfield town and other rural communities in Texas.

In recent weeks, about 50 residents By LIU YINMENG in Los Angeles of Iraan tested positive for the teresaliu@chinadailyusa.com novel coronavirus and three of them had A to Chinese be airlifted envoy out to for the needed United treatment, Nations on Monday reported called the Texas on all parties Tribune. in No Yemen one in and Iraan the has international died due to community COVID-19, to and “step no up children their efforts have been to find hospitalized a way out of for the it. current predicament” The town’s as public the Yemeni school district people, shut particularly down after the children, only five have days continued of classes because to suffer about from one-quarter economic, of humanitarian the school staff and of political 70, and challenges 16 percent due of the to the 335 country’s students civil were war. either infected Geng Shuang, with or China’s exposed deputy to permanent the coronavirus, representative according to to Superintendent the UN, stressed Tracy that a comprehensive Canter. The opening ceasefire of school must be will achieved be delayed as soon until as Aug possible, 30. and that the peace process should Those be numbers resumed were at an early more date. than the “There district is saw no military for all of option last year, for she the told issue the of Tribune. Yemen, and The a high political infection solution rate makes is the only it hard way for out,” such Geng a small told a school Security district Council because briefing employees on Yemen. may perform several jobs — teaching during the day and driving the bus when school is over.

Iraan General Hospital CEO Jason Rybolt told CNN that 119 people were tested for the virus, and 50 tested positive during a two-week August span — a 42 percent positivity rate.

“This is very serious,” Iraan Mayor Darren Brown told CNN. Added resident Vicky Zapata, “We had had COVID before, but never to this magnitude.”

Rybolt said he is “very concerned for the community and “very concerned for trying to make sure that they China have hopes the healthcare that the new that special they need”. envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, recently Of those appointed residents by the who secretarygeneral, had to be airlifted will elsewhere, perform his he duties said objectively that at least and one was impartially, taken out strive of state to because achieve a of comprehensive a lack of available cease-fire ICU at beds an early in Texas. date, and “It could make be progress 12 hours in (for dialogue coronavirus-stricken and peace talks, Geng people said. to receive He emphasized a bed). It could the important be 36 hours. role You of other just countries never know in the how region long and it’s going the need to take,” to form Rybolt synergy said. to promote peace Three talks. other China rural appreciates districts that in Texas countries also such have as temporarily Saudi Arabia closed and some Oman or have all of continued their schools to engage due to in rising mediation numbers efforts, of Geng staffers said. and students Countries being sick with with influence COVID-19 on or in Yemen quarantine. should continue to play an active Morgan and Mill constructive Independent role to School promote District mutual with more trust than among 130 all students parties closed to the conflict for a few and days adhere because to the general half its staff direction is out of with political the settlement, virus. The Bloomburg the envoy said. Independent School District Noting of more that than Chinese 200 State students Councilor and the Waskom Independent School District of more than 800 students in East Texas both closed for at least several days.

All four school districts are in areas where fewer than a third of residents are fully vaccinated, the RICARDO ARDUENGO / REUTERS Tribune reported.

Morgan Mill Superintendent Wendy Sanders said that even though half the school district staff is out sick, many of them don’t want to be tested for the coronavirus.

“It was their personal choice to not get tested,” Sanders said. “I don’t believe in taking away personal freedom of choice and enforcing testing.” and Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward Closings a of five-point the small initiative districts led to the achieve Texas peace State and Teachers stability in Association the Middle East on Aug when 18 he to visited again the call region for Governor in the first Greg half of Abbott the year, to Geng rescind said China his order has against always actively mask requirements. supported and The participated group urged constructively all educators in and the students Yemeni peace in the process. state to wear masks to campuses, as recommended by healthcare Close coordination experts.

“Unfortunately, China is ready to the maintain closure communication of these small school and close districts coordination is more proof with all that parties the on COVID the five-point pandemic initiative is still in dangerous a concerted and effort needs to to seek be taken peace, seriously build security by the and governor promote and school development officials,” in the the Middle organization East, the said envoy in said. a statement. “People must get vaccinated, Geng urged and educators the scaling-up and students of international need to wear humanitarian masks to school.” assistance The four to alleviate small districts difficulties will nonetheless in Yemen’s follow economy the and governor’s improve order. people’s They livelihoods. won’t require masks for students The or Yemeni teachers. government has taken