Navy Aids Wisconsin Hospital Overcrowded With COVID-19 Patients
WISCONSIN — Twenty members of the U.S. Navy will help staff at a Wisconsin hospital, after state health officials announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would help with a statewide overflow of COVID-19 patients.
The Navy team — which includes nurses, respiratory therapists and medical doctors — will help at the Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, the U.S. Army said in a statement. The team was sent at the request of FEMA, the Army added.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake announced on Dec. 6 that Wisconsin should expect help from federal workers, as local hospitals and health systems begin to reach capacity from an influx of coronavirus patients.
There are 1,653 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across Wisconsin, while data from the Wisconsin Hospital Association showed 178 of those hospitalizations were in the northeast region, the latest state data shows.
There are 59 intensive care unit beds available in hospitals statewide, and data shows 8 ICU beds available in the northeast region.
A total of 4,001 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed Monday, and state health services data showed the seven-day average for new cases was 3,315 per day.
Gov. Tony Evers said that Wisconsin residents should get vaccinated against COVID-19 and get their booster dose as well to stop the surge of statewide hospitalizations and deaths.
"Our hospitals and health care systems are relying on us to do our part to get the COVID-19 vaccine and stop the spread of COVID-19," Evers said.
In a previous news conference, state health officials said they were expecting around 100 medical workers from FEMA to help Wisconsin's healthcare providers in the coming weeks.
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Another 20-person team of Navy medical staff will help at the Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, the Army said.
This article originally appeared on the Milwaukee Patch
