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.