Washington Reports Record Hospitalizations Amid Coronavirus Surge

WASHINGTON — On Friday, 784 people across Washington were in hospital beds receiving treatment for COVID-19. Of those, 86 were suffering severe symptoms and needed to be ventilated, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

It's the highest number of patients ever hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time in Washington, and a culmination of a steady growth in hospitalizations that began with 572 hospitalized Nov 14 — meaning at least 212 people were hospitalized in that six-day span.

While it is a record number of patients, it is not totally unexpected. Health experts have been sounding the alarm that this surge in hospitalizations would likely follow the surge in coronavirus transmission: typically it takes a few weeks before a rise in infections causes a matching rise in hospitalizations.

Last Wednesday, Swedish First Hill reported that they were seeing the first warning signs:

"The cases here at First Hill, which is our flagship hospital within Swedish, have tripled since Halloween," said Dr. Elizabeth Wako, chief operating officer for Swedish First Hill. "Just this morning, we admitted 10 patients in five hours. That is exponential for us."

Last week a report from the Institute of Disease Modeling predicted that Washington could see as many as 150 hospitalizations each day, if the trajectory continues.

As The Associated Press reports, as more COVID-19 patients fill hospital beds, hospitals may have to change how many other patients they admit. Over the last week leaders from hospitals across Washington met to consider several options. Among them is a proposal to cancel all elective procedures, like heart valve or joint replacements and some cancer surgeries, to make room for all the incoming coronavirus patients.

Some hospital systems, like Swedish, are head of the curve and have already implemented pauses to some elective procedures. UW Medicine has also restricted visitors to their campuses in an attempt to protect patients and staff.

Fear that the surge in transmissions might overwhelm Washington's medical system was also a driving factor behind the state's latest round of pandemic restrictions. At a conference announcing the regulations Nov. 15, Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer, said the record-breaking surge in COVID-19 cases threatens to flood hospitals with patients.

"Flattening the curve is essential to saving lives and ensuring our hospitals don't become overwhelmed with COVID cases like we're seeing in many hospitals in the Midwest and elsewhere in the county," Lofy said. "If we act now, we can be successful."

Read more: New Coronavirus Restrictions Begin Monday Night In Washington