Baxter Regional Medical Center officials announced the hospital has set a distressing new record with 43 inpatients being treated for COVID-19. That number, announced Tuesday afternoon, shatters the hospital’s previous record of 34 COVID inpatients at a single time, set last November.Of BRMC’s 43 inpatients, 10 were in the ICU and nine were on a ventilator. Hospital officials also said 30 Baxter Regional employees were out with COVID.
The number of COVID cases in Baxter County has snowballed since spring, with 10 cases being reported on June 10 and 423 cases being reported as of Tuesday afternoon.
In a news release announcing the updated inpatient numbers, the hospital said, “The situation at Baxter Regional is critical. Our ICU is full, with both COVID and non-COVID-19 patients. Our staff is weary, concerned for our community and desperate for this pandemic to end, but we continue to serve in extraordinary ways.”
In response to the record-high COVID patient census, Baxter Regional has announced it is limiting all patients to one visitor over the age of 18 per day, effective immediately. Visitors are required to wear masks at all times while inside Baxter Regional facilities.
COVID cases have spiked over the Twin Lakes Area and southwest Missouri over the past two months, with health officials blaming the rapidly spreading and highly potent delta variant of COVID and the geographical region’s lack of people vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Baxter Regional reports that since March 1, 89.3% of the hospital’s COVID patients have not been vaccinated. In Baxter County, just 33.5% of residents ages 12 and older are fully vaccinated, with another 7.1% partially immunized. Across the state, 41% of residents ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated, with another 11% being partially vaccinated.
In its news release on its COVID patient census, Baxter Regional says, “We urge those in our community to use precautions in large groups of people, wash your hands often, wear a mask and get vaccinated. Widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic.”
Baxter Regional is offering the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine at no cost to patients 12 and older through its Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Clinic. To request a vaccine appointment, call (870) 508-7450, Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., or Friday 8 a.m.-noon.
For more information on the COVID vaccine and for regular updates on COVID, visit baxterregional.org/coronavirus.
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