As positive cases of the coronavirus in Muskegon County continue to rise at a historic pace, health officials fear local hospitals will soon be reaching full capacity.
“We are absolutely overwhelmed with the number of case notifications and contact tracing. It is almost like having a flood of water come into your house," Muskegon County Public Health officer Kathy Moore told WGVU Tuesday. "It is so much to manage."
As of this week, Muskegon County has one of the highest COVID-19 positivity rates in Michigan.
“The numbers are not looking good," Moore said. "We are continuing to see an increase in our positivity rates as well. From 17.5 to 19.1 as I look at those numbers, so just astronomical increases.”
To put that number in perspective, the statewide average is around 11 percent, which is also extremely high, considering this summer, communities along the lakeshore had dropped as low as 1% positivity rate.
Meanwhile, the state saw its largest single day increase since the pandemic began over the weekend, and health officials say unlike the spring, when the Detroit area was hit the hardest, this time around the surge is having its greatest impact on the west side of the state. Leaving Muskegon County nervous about its hospitals running out of room for anyone, not just those suffering from the coronavirus.
“So the real scare is that if we don’t do something different, we may get to a point where our hospitals doesn’t have the capacity to see someone if they become critically ill,” Moore said. “We have to remember that there are other reasons that people go to the hospital, not just COVID-19; so we can’t consume all of their hospital beds and rooms. It is quite concerning.”
Moore said, it’s a matter of COVID-19 fatigue, meaning, people are letting their guard down, adding that residents must continue to stay vigilant, wear their mask, wash their hands and social distance, as the pandemic is far from over.
