Branch County seeing rise in COVID hospitalizations
BRANCH COUNTY — Hospitalizations are back from COVID-19 infections in Branch County as cases rise.
ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital reported on Dec. 19 that they admitted six patients with COVID-19, two of whom were in intensive care.
County-owned Maple Lawn nursing facility administrator Jayne Sabaitis said, "There's been a lot of COVID in the community. One of the physicians said they hadn't seen (hospitalizations) for quite some time."
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the weekly state COVID-19 cases rose 12% last week to 6,879. Branch County averaged five new cases a day.
Numbers do not reflect actual infection rates for those who test at home, whose physicians do not report to the state, or those with the virus who do not test.
Maple Lawn saw an outbreak among patients early in December.
Sabaitis said 11 of the 19 patients in the 400-wing tested positive in the first half of the month. All symptoms were minor, cold-like, for a day or two.
"We had one resident that kept saying, 'Why are you telling me I'm sick, I feel fine,'" the administrator said.
All quarantines were lifted on Dec. 19 on the 400 wing.
Two patients on the rehabilitation wing tested positive. Quarantine ends there on Dec. 27.
Except for those in single rooms, "it's difficult to keep people apart," Sabaitis said.
Sabaitis and her staff wore masks to the monthly board meeting last Tuesday. "We will probably be masking our staff through the end of January because of holidays."
The administrator said, "We're all getting together with our families," which can increase exposure.
Several staff tested positive and were off. "We test on day six, and if they test negative, they can come back," Sabaitis said.
Residents currently are on quarantine for 10 days when positive. "Anybody that goes in their room has to fully suit up," Sabaitis said.
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph County Health Agency reported that recently released data from the CDC show increases not only in COVID-19 but also in all respiratory illnesses, including influenza and RSV.
The health agency is urging vaccinations. Maple Lawn vaccinated patients except for the last released COVID-19 vaccine. "We haven't received those yet," Sabaitis said.
Subscribe Keep up with local news. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a fast-spreading new COVID-19 variant called JN.1 could drive a new wave of disease across the U.S. as people travel in record numbers over the holidays.
Health agency medical director Dr. Karen Luparello urged vaccinations. "While no vaccine is 100% effective at preventing illness, vaccines decrease the potential for serious illness, hospitalization, and death, especially for young children, older adults, people with some chronic conditions, or who are immune compromised."
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Branch County seeing rise in COVID hospitalizations
