Four patients died from COVID-19 over the weekend at The University of Kansas Health System, bringing the total to seven in the last week. Doctors say the deaths account for the drop in patients being treated for the virus today to 30, down from 36 on Friday. Six of those patients are in the ICU, down from 10 on Friday with 5 patients on ventilators, same as Friday. Several new patients have been admitted for the virus.
Dr. Raghu Adiga from Liberty Hospital, Dr. Larry Botts from Advent Health Shawnee Mission and Dr. Mark Steele from Truman Medical Centers/University Health updated their numbers and discussed and how their hospitals are being impacted. Also joining was Dr. David Wild, VP of Performance Improvement for The University of Kansas Health System.
The doctors from the area hospitals are seeing the same trend as The University of Kansas Health System, with slightly lower numbers over the past week. They agree the average age of patients is trending younger with shorter stays. Dr. Steele from Truman notes twice as many patients were admitted in July as June and about a third of the COVID-19 patients there are of Hispanic background. He described how his hospital has done community outreach to that population to help educate and slow the spread of the virus. They all note that most patients will recover, but some will have a tougher and longer recovery. All of the hospitals report an adequate supply of the drug remdesivir, which helps lessen the length of symptoms.
Dr. Wild noted the ages of current patients in the health system range from 19 to 87. But he says there are still plenty of patients in their 20’s and 30’s. He thinks this is a direct result of more people in that age rage not wearing masks and gathering in groups in parties and in bars. He agrees the current high numbers in area communities may have an effect on how many kids go back to school classrooms and how many do online classes.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System, discussed results of newly-published research in JAMA Pediatrics which shows infected children have at least as much of the virus in their noses and throats as infected adults. He says this means we can’t assume that just because kids aren’t getting sick, or very sick, that they don’t have the virus and the risk is there no matter what the age. He says ideally, we would have a cheap, accurate daily test that everyone could use at home before going to school or work, but we don’t have that now. He believes kids should be back in school, as long as it’s safe for both students and teachers. He says we still have a few weeks to get the community spread under control and hopes to see a further drop in numbers before schools reopen. He reminds us we can do it by wearing a mask and following the pillars of infection prevention.
Tuesday, August 4 at 8:00 a.m. is the next daily briefing call. In addition to Dr. Norman, Olivia Desmarais, BSN, RN, CCRN, former trauma nurse now Trauma Injury Prevention Education Specialist for the health system, shares details of a long-awaited program called REVIVE (Reducing Effects of Violence through Intervention and Victim Empowerment) which is finally a reality after years of planning/hoping. Violence among females 12 to 24 is high right now and COVID-19 is to blame. Joining the conversation is Dr. Jomella Watson-Thompson, PhD, Behavioral Psychology and Urban Planning, KU and Damon Daniel, Pres. of AdHoc Group Against Crime. Damon is a native of KC and active in social justice from bully prevention program to socioeconomic issues that affect people of color.
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