Hospitals in the Houston area are preparing for an increase in COVID-19 cases

HOUSTON Health experts at Memorial Hermann Hospital and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center say they are prepared for what may come in the coming weeks.

It’s a never-ending battle with COVID-19. Cases continue to increase in Houston and Harris County.

“We will certainly continue to ask for help from the people of Houston to help us stop this disease. Be patient, use the mask, use social distance, let’s wash our hands so we can limit the demand for hospitalization, ”said Dr. David Callender, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System.

On Tuesday, the Texas Medical Center reported 4,515 new cases and 388 new hospitalizations.

“We are concerned that all those statistics will get worse before they get better,” Callender said.

TMC said there are 1,405 people in the ICU. Of those people, 511 have COVID-19. Several hospitals in our area already have plans in case the numbers get worse.

“We don’t worry about beds, we have had enough. Our hospital has two campuses, so we have a second campus that we can expand to if needed, ”said Dr. Liz Youngblood, president of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

“We have converted some of the space not normally used for beds into bed-changing space in the face of this increased demand, so we are not getting out of the beds, but we are clearly concerned,” Callender said.

Both hospitals also have additional staff, agencies, and traveling workers ready to assist.

“We are all busy, everyone is all busy and it’s not just about COVID-19, there’s that regular demand for hospital services out there from people who have heart attacks, strokes, trauma victims,” ​​Callender said.