COVID hospitalizations hit record in NC as Johnston hospitals approach capacity limit
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in North Carolina reached a new high Monday, according to data reported by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
At least two Triangle hospitals — Johnston County’s hospitals in Clayton and Smithfield — have been full or nearly full since the week after Thanksgiving, Tom Williams, the President and CEO of Johnston UNC Health Care told The News & Observer Monday.
“If you’d asked anybody back in March, I don’t think anybody would have predicted we’d be where we are today, still battling this pandemic,” Williams said.
Across North Carolina, there are 3,192 people hospitalized with the virus, with 96% of hospitals reporting data, according to the state health department. At the same time, the number of people being treated in intensive care units with COVID-19 has also hit a new high, with 733 patients.
North Carolina’s COVID-19 situation has rapidly worsened since early November as more people head indoors and cases are diagnosed after the Thanksgiving holiday. Health officials have expressed concerns that the number of cases will continue to surge into January following Christmas and New Year’s.
For instance, the number of adults in intensive care with the virus has doubled since Nov. 16 — exactly six weeks. Hospitalizations have doubled over the last 38 days, a shorter period.
On Saturday, the last day for which data was available, 14.7% of COVID-19 tests came back positive, the highest single-day number since at least late April. Over the past week, 11.1% of tests have come back positive.
The N.C. health department cautions that reported data is preliminary and might be adjusted days later. That tends to happen on Mondays, as hospitals report data from the weekend.
North Carolina reported 3,888 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the daily average of new cases over the past week to 6,921 cases.
North Carolina surpassed 500,000 cases on Saturday. There have been 520,716 cases since the first North Carolina case was reported in March.
The state also reported 12 people who died with COVID-19, bringing the total toll of the pandemic to 6,561 North Carolinians.
Challenge for hospitals
For much of the pandemic, Johnston UNC Health’s Clayton and Smithfield hospitals averaged 20 to 25 patients with COVID-19, Williams said. After Thanksgiving, that average jumped to at least 60, sometimes going higher, with the hospitals typically admitting seven to 12 people with COVID-19 each day.
Williams believes Thanksgiving gatherings are likely responsible for the jump in December, and he’s worried there will be another spike after Christmas.
“Right now is when society needs to be working together,” Williams said. “Do your part and wear a mask, wash your hands, avoid these large gatherings.
“I really think coming up through January and February is going to be a challenge for all hospitals.”
Johnston UNC Health’s Smithfield hospital has 149 beds, including 16 in the intensive care unit. Its Clayton facility has 50 beds, including four in the intensive care unit.
Before COVID-19, the Smithfield hospital averaged five ICU patients at any given time. Throughout the pandemic, the unit has typically been full, with openings particularly rare in December.
Monday, there were 65 patients with COVID-19 across the two facilities. Around 4 p.m., there were three ICU beds and four progressive care unit beds available.
‘A harder environment’
The demand for hospital beds means that staff are constantly evaluating when patients are ready for discharge, Williams said. But even those efforts are sometimes not enough to keep pace with the number of patients coming in.
Williams recalled one day in December where staff pushed to clear six beds before they left for the night in order to make space for anyone who might need emergency care. When they came back the next morning, all of these beds were filled again.
During the week before Christmas, the Johnston County hospitals decided to suspend all non-emergency surgeries until at least Jan. 4. Those procedures typically require patients to stay overnight, and beds were at a premium.
Staffing was also at a premium, Williams said, with surgical doctors and nurses diverted to care for the high number of COVID-19 patients. That means medical personnel are working in an environment where there is virtually no visitation with patients who are sicker than those they typically see .
“It’s just a harder environment for staff to work in, and they come in, they give it their all and they go home and come back the next day and have to do it all over again,” Williams said. “We’re probably all wondering where’s that light at the end of the tunnel? When will we emerge out of this? And I’m not sure anyone has that answer right now.”
Vaccines offer hope
Vaccines are continuing to make their way throughout the state, with many local health departments reporting they have received shipments and hospitals continuing to innoculate people against the virus.
Johnston UNC Health received 1,950 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as part of the first round of distributions. Frontline staff at Johnston UNC Health have started receiving the vaccine, which has also been shared with some staff of UNC Health or UNC Rex who either live or work near the facility.
While members of the public wait for their chance to receive the vaccine, Williams said, public health measures become even more important.
“I would like for the public to take this pandemic seriously and really do their part in wearing a mask and doing all the things we’re supposed to do to take care of each other,” he said, adding it is important that people take the vaccine when they become eligible.
So far, the vaccine is only available to medical personnel and staff working directly with COVID-19 patients, as well as residents and staff of nursing homes and residential care facilities.
Searstone Retirement Community, in Cary, received 350 doses of the Moderna vaccine and started vaccinating staff and residents on Monday.
“This is probably the most important day of 2020 for us,” said Derrick Moore, the community’s executive director.
This story was originally published December 28, 2020 at 12:47 PM with the headline "COVID hospitalizations hit record in NC as Johnston hospitals approach capacity limit."