A surge in COVID-19 patients, due to the highly contagious Delta variant, is creating problems for hospitals all across Texas.
Locally, the Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital says they are overwhelmed and need more nurses.
Just a week ago, the hospital reported patients waiting 24 hours in their emergency rooms before being transferred to in-patient rooms. And at one point, 130 people were waiting to be seen last Sunday.
Earlier this week, an 11-month-old girl with COVID-19 who was initially admitted to the Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital had to be transported to a hospital 170 miles away in Temple. Officials said the transport was needed since LBJ doesn’t offer inpatient pediatric care and none of the major pediatric hospitals in the Houston area had beds available.
The hospital is under an internal disaster, which means the hospital is off the grid for patients coming in from places like the Houston Fire Department’s ambulances.
The Texas Medical Center said hospitalizations in the past month are up 400%.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee made a plea Sunday for state officials to step in.
“Governor Abbott, I want you to know that hospitals in Harris County have indicated that they are in a catastrophic internal condition,” she said.
Source: www.click2houston.com
