The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 43 COVID patients today, down from 49 yesterday. Other significant numbers:
- 4 with the active virus today, 5 yesterday
- 1 in ICU, 1 yesterday
- 1 on ventilator, 1 yesterday
- 39 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 44 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Madhu Reddy, cardiologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Discussed the death of comedian Gilbert Gottfried from a rare genetic muscle disease that affects the heart. It’s called recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II.
- Symptoms are subtle and often condition not diagnosed for a decade
- Progressive muscle weakness leads to poor quality of life
- No known treatment
Dr. Sharla Smith, founder of Kansas Birth Equity Network
- Death rate for black women in childbirth is three times higher than others
- Some reasons are black women are dealing with more stress, especially in getting access to care, economic problems and COVID
- Many mothers on Medicaid lose that coverage once their baby is born
- Need to increase number of providers who look like their patients
- Many clinics including the health system adhere to LIFT. It means listen, be intentional, foster and trust.
Marcia Houpe, nurse-midwife, The University of Kansas Health System
- Reluctance of many minority women to be vaccinated against COVID has caused many pregnancy complications
- Recounted story of young black expectant mother who came to see her and was thrilled to be treated by a black provider
- Still have a lot of work to do in decreasing the mortality gap in expectant mothers
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System
- Low COVID numbers are getting back to a year ago in March when we were at five patients
- It appears the BA 2 variant is picking up steam and has become dominant variant in The United States
- Philadelphia reinstated mask mandate trying to keep hospitalization numbers down
- Death rate from COVID still much higher among unvaccinated people
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
- Reminded that the health system no longer checks all incoming patients for COVID, just those who may have been exposed or have symptoms
- Of the 110 deaths from COVID in the health system from January to March, only four patients were fully vaccinated
- Ease of getting a second booster compared to the first shows some public weariness but it’s still important to get one if you are 50 or older
Thursday, April 14 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Grab the boxing gloves! We are heading into the ring to show you how activities like boxing are helping those with a brain disorder that leads to shaking, and difficulty walking. The latest on the research and treatment of Parkinson's disease.
ATTENTION: media procedure for joining:
Zoom link: https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628
Telephone Zoom link: 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628
TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI
Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital
YouTube.com/kuhospital
Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
