The number of COVID patients at The University of Kansas Health System continues to climb today. 39 with the active virus are being treated, up from 36 yesterday. Only one of those patients is vaccinated. One patient died overnight.12 COVID patients are in the ICU, up from ten yesterday. Eight are on ventilators, up from seven yesterday. 19 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID but are out of the acute infection phase, down from 21 yesterday. That’s a total of 58 patients, up from 57 yesterday.
Doctors also noted the city is critically low on blood. They urged everyone to call 877-468-6844 or go to savealifenow.org as soon as possible to make a donation appointment.
On today’s Morning Medical Update, add zoo animals to the list of those eligible for the COVID vaccine. They too are contracting COVID, and the virus has been detected in wildlife like white-tailed deer. How does this affect hunters and those who eat the meat of an infected animal? We brought two zoo and animal experts back to answer those questions and more. Joining us were Dr. Juergen Richt, director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases at Kansas State University and Dr. Stephen Higgs, associate vice president for Research and Director of the Bio-security Research Institute at Kansas State University.
The doctors explained how their research has pivoted since the pandemic began to focus on how COVID has affected animals of all kinds, both wild and domesticated. While saying there is no evidence that the omicron variant has infected any animals, they have reached some surprising conclusions. They found that white-tailed deer, for example, have picked up the virus from humans, mostly due to more urbanization of their environment. They speculate the animals could eat food thrown on the ground from an infected human, or infected children playing in a backyard could spread the virus to the deer through leaving their toys around. The deer could even get it by eating the grass where an infected person stood. The deer then spread it to their whole herd. A study found 80 percent of the white-tailed deer in Iowa have the virus. They said hunters need to be careful when field dressing the deer not to come into contact with the blood if possible, but the cooked meat should be safe. They add it’s not likely that ticks are infecting deer with COVID. They also said zoo animals such as large cats, primates, and some endangered species, now have a USDA approved vaccine, but none has been authorized for our household pets. They noted it is possible for an infected human to transmit COVID to their dog or cat, so if you have symptoms, you need to isolate from your family and pets as well. The main symptom for dogs and cats seems to be respiratory problems. Their best advice is to make sure our pets get their regular yearly vaccinations and to make sure we get vaccinated, especially for COVID.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection and Prevention, advised not to wait for drug companies to reformulate their vaccines and to get what’s available now. It will protect you. He reminded us that the virus does not live long on surfaces but is transmitted mostly through droplets from one person to another. He stressed vaccination works and urged everyone be vaccinated for the Holidays.
On that note, we introduced another episode of the Emmy Award winning series, Sunnye Says. This one has a simple message. It’s safe to vaccinate.
Wednesday, December 15 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics With Dr. Stites. Infectious Disease doctors join to update what is being called a very steep increase in COVID admissions to hospitals across the metro. The regularly scheduled update about new technology to treat tremors will be shared in the new year.
NOTE: Journalists should rejoin the Morning Medical Update at 8am as doctors are growing too busy again for individual interview requests. Please bring questions or send to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu until further notice. Thanks for all you do and helping to keep the community safe with your reporting.
ATTENTION: media procedure for calling in:
The meeting is available by Zoom, both video and by phone. To join the Zoom Meeting by video, click https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628
Telephone dial-in Participants: For those without Zoom, call 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628.
The feed is also available via TVU grid. The TVU source is UoK_Health and is being made available to all.
Feel free to send questions in advance to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
