Sunday’s (Nov. 23, 2020) update from the South Dakota Department of Health shows there are currently 577 people hospitalized because of COVID-19.
Dr. Mikel Holland is the President and Chief Medical Officer at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, which is connected to Avera’s Hospital and clinic locations. Holland says some staff members have been helping to care for patients at both locations.
Holland says like the staff in Pierre, the employees in Gettysburg have a lot more work to do.
The best thing the public can do to help lighten the work load of the staff at any medical facility, Holland says, is to wear a mask, wash your hands and maintain good hygiene. He says employees at all levels– from janitors and schedulers to nurses and doctors– are also thankful for other ways the public is helping.
He says staff are tired, but continue to give their all because they’re taking care of people they know.
As of 6pm Saturday, Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre is treating 16 coronavirus patients, 6 are in ICU and 3 require use of a ventilator. The Avera Gettysburg Hospital is caring for two coronavirus patients.
Coronavirus patients currently occupy 20.9% of the staffed hospital beds in the state. Other patients are using 44.5% of the staffed beds leaving 34.6% available. Of the staffed adult intensive care unit beds in the state, COVID-19 patients are using 46.4%, other patients occupy 37.8% and 15.8% are available to be used. COVID-19 patients are using 11.6% of the ventilators available in the state. Non-COVID patients are using 15.9% of the ventilators, leaving 72.5% of them available to be used.
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