CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One of West Virginia’s busiest hospitals has had some of its highest admission rates for COVID-19 this week.
Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) had a total of 13 admissions at its four hospitals Wednesday, according to Dr. Michael Robie, CAMC associate chief medical officer.
“That’s one of the largest single-day admissions we’ve had,” Robie said during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Among the 58 COVID patients in CAMC’s hospitals on Thursday were two pediatric patients. Nearly half of the COVID patients, 25, are being treated in intensive care, Robie said.
“These are sick individuals and it’s very tasking on our staff at this time,” he said.
The patients in this latest surge are spending a lot more time in the ICU. Robie points toward the Delta variant.
“It’s a lot different than the Alpha variant than we started with early on in this scenario,” he said. “When these patients are younger they’re getting sicker and spending lots of time in the intensive care unit.”
Robie said CAMC is treating more patients that have been vaccinated, breakthrough cases. He said it’s not that unusual. He said no vaccine, including those for the flu, fully prevent a virus, but he said COVID breakthroughs don’t get as sick.
“You’re not ending up in the ICU with a tube down your throat to help you breathe,” Robie said. “That’s what the vaccine prevents.”
Robie applauds CAMC staff and how workers have responded during the pandemic.
“This is now almost 18 months of dealing with this and being able to focus on our patients, to continue to care for our patients has been extremely tough,” Robie said. “We’re doing the best to encourage each others, to support each other, but it’s getting tough out there.”
CAMC announced Wednesday all of its workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 15. The hospital says 65% of its nearly 8,000 workers have been vaccinated.