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November 11, 2020

As COVID hospitalizations rise, visits restricted 

PHOTO | File image Yale New Haven Hospital.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

The Yale New Haven Health system has seen a “significant” rise in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, officials said Wednesday.

CEO Marna P. Borgstrom reported 210 in-patients across the health system, which is more than double the in-patient population just two weeks ago, when it was at 90.

The current COVID in-patient population includes 125 at Yale New Haven Hospital, 53 at Bridgeport Hospital, 19 at Lawrence + Memorial in New London, five at Greenwich Hospital and eight at Westerly Hospital in Rhode Island. 

“This is a significant rise,” Borgstrom said. “It is consistent with what others are seeing around the state and region. We are concerned about the growing number of hospitalized patients.”

The latest surge hasn’t reached spring numbers, when the health system was taking care of over 700 COVID in-patients.

As of Wednesday, there were 33 COVID patients in the intensive care unit, with 15 of those on ventilators. 

To date, the health system has discharged some 4,400 COVID patients back to the community, while 618 have died, Borgstrom said.

Dr. Thomas Balcezak, executive vice president and chief clinical officer for the system, said he expects cases in the current surge to peak around the end of December or beginning of January.

“Unfortunately, the uptick is real and we are feeling it across the system,” Balcezak said. “We are heading into what will be a long winter.”

According to Balcezak, a smaller percentage of COVID patients are requiring ventilation, around five percent now as opposed to 15 percent in the spring. 

“We have learned a lot since March,” Balcezak said. “Our treatment protocols have improved, and we have learned more about what works.”

More patients are being treated with steroids, for example, he said.

The demographic of hospital in-patients continues to be similar, with minorities and the older population, particularly those with underlying conditions, most likely to require hospitalization, according to Balcezak.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s office reported Tuesday that 548 patients were hospitalized statewide due to COVID-19, with 4,707 deaths to date.

This week, Yale New Haven Hospital announced that it is limiting visitor access to patients due to community spread of the virus. There may be some exceptions, such as in the case of maternity patients, children, and patients who are disabled or dying.

“What continues to be important is wearing masks and practicing social distancing,” Balcezak said. “It is as important now as it was in March. Now is not the time to let down our guard.”

When asked if he plans to get together with family for the Thanksgiving holiday, Balcezak said he plans to stay home and connect with loved ones virtually instead.

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.

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