State Health Officials Break Down COVID-19 Hospitalizations; Pediatric Hospitalizations Up

The state health department released its weekly epidemiology report for the week of Jul 11 to 17.

The report broke down the data for cases, deaths and hospitalizations. The report also broke down the data by age groups.

Thursday, it was reported there are 416 people hospitalized with COVID-19, of those there at 134 in the ICU.

The department also reported that over the last week there has been an 80% spike in positive cases in the state.

"We have seen very young people," said Dr. David Chansolme, the Director of Infection Prevention at Integris Health. "In the ICU on a ventilator, very ill."

In the latest epidemiology report released Wednesday night, from July 11 to 17 there were 300 new hospitalizations reported. 

When broken down, the age group that is unable to receive the vaccine, under one to 11, there were only six new hospitalizations. For those in the age group up next, 12 to 24, there were 19 new admissions.

"We are exhausted, the hospitals are full for other reasons, so there is no guarantee you're going to get to go to the hospital you want to go to,” said Chansolme. “The nurses are tired, the respiratory therapists are tired, doctors are tired, it's frustrating."

The age group reported with the newest cases was 25 to 34. Out of the over 900 cases recorded, there were 24 hospitalizations which was 8% of those cases.

Once you get to age 55 to 64, they had 63 new hospitalizations which was 21% of the group's new cases.

The data does not breakdown the cases and hospitalizations who is vaccinated and who is unvaccinated. But these are age groups that report the lowest vaccination rates.

"If someone gets sick regardless of their vaccination status, we will take care of them the best we can, and we will be there to hold their hand through it," said Chansolme.