UVA Health sees double the amount of COVID-19 patients during omicron surge

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - UVA Health says the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital beds has doubled in the last few weeks. So far, the hospital has been able to handle the influx.

“We have been able to open additional COVID units to accommodate those patients and be able to take care of them,” UVA Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Reid Adams said.

As of Friday, Jan. 7, the hospital had 82 patients admitted for COVID-19 with about a quarter of those patients in the ICU. Sentara Martha Jefferson had 33 COVID-19 patients, and Augusta Health had 39.

Those numbers change rapidly.

“We’ve been in reasonably good shape considering the surge of COVID patients,” Dr. Adams said. “We have not been able to take as many transfers as we would like for those who need our help.”

The health system is urging people to avoid coming to the Emergency Department for COVID-19 testing, which can be done at various other places.

“We don’t want to dissuade people if you’re having a heart attack or stroke symptoms,” UVA Health CEO Wendi Horton said. “We want to make sure people that are really sick are coming to the Emergency Department and getting that care.”

Dr. Bill Petri says there’s one major statistic that is shedding light on how the community is handling the pandemic: “The hospitalization rate is probably the most important number, because that’s a reflection of how well we’re protecting the population,” he said.

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