CentraCare has more than 100 positive COVID-19 patients this week. More than 80 of those are at St. Cloud hospital. These numbers are up slightly from last week where numbers were 97 within CentraCare and 70 at St. Cloud Hospital.
The number of COVID-19 positive patients within CentraCare hospitals in Central Minnesota continue to be high. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON today.
CentraCare issued a vaccine mandate for employees in August. CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week. He said in the past week they started the vaccination process of another 120 employees bringing their total vaccination numbers to just under 80% of their staff vaccinated.
CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris says CentraCare and St. Cloud Hospital is "at capacity for all patients". Morris says they have approximately the same amount of COVID-19 patients within CentraCare and at St. Cloud Hospital as they had last week but with all other non COVID-19 care needs they just don't have the beds or enough staff to handle the pressure they are facing due to COVID.
The COVID-19 numbers at St. Cloud Hospital and within CentraCare have increased to the point where they have now surpassed the spring surge numbers. That according to CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris. He says they have 75 positive COVID-19 patients within CentraCare with more than 60 at St. Cloud Hospital.