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MDMC sees rapid growth of new COVID cases
SIKESTON — Like others across the state and region, Sikeston’s hospital continues to see rapid growth of new COVID cases dating back to July with the arrival of the delta variant.
“Missouri Delta Medical Center is frequently making adjustments to accommodate the growing number of COVID cases that are requiring hospitalization, which is occurring predominantly in the unvaccinated population,” said registered nurse Eric Slaughter, who is the infection prevention/safety and emergency preparedness coordinator for Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.
MDMC’s COVID Task Force is meeting regularly to address the growing challenges, and is sharing that information with its extended Community COVID Task Force partners, Slaughter said.
“Currently, we have 18 COVID patients at MDMC; 16 of those are unvaccinated, and of those, four are requiring a ventilator,” Slaughter said on Wednesday. “Neither of the two vaccinated individuals are requiring a ventilator. We have had no COVID deaths in vaccinated individuals, but, we have, unfortunately, had three COVID deaths in unvaccinated individuals since July.”
ICU beds, both COVID and non-COVID, remain very limited at MDMC and throughout the multi-state area, Slaughter said. On Tuesday, MDMC reopened its dedicated COVID care unit, which had been deactivated since March, he said.
“We continue to offer Pfizer COVID vaccination clinics, as well as monoclonal antibody infusions for those who qualify,” Slaughter said.
The vaccine is available at multiple local pharmacies and health departments.
In response to the increase in cases and community sewershed surveillance results, a COVID-19 testing event will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at the north parking lot of the YMCA of Southeast Missouri, 511 Taylor St., in Sikeston.
According to registered nurse Diana Knutson with the Scott County Health Department, recent results from in Sikeston are indicative of possible increases in COVID-19 transmission in the area.
During the weeks of July 12-26 and Aug.5, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, or DHSS, saw increasing trends in concentrations of COVID-19 genetic fragments in wastewater from the Sikeston (Scott County) sewershed, Knutson said in a news release. Sewershed surveillance metrics are not a direct estimate of the COVID-19 positive human cases in the area. Rather, they provide an indication that COVID-19 transmission is likely increasing among the population in sewershed areas, the news release said.
During the weeks of July 12-26, DHSS also saw mutations in genetic fragments in wastewater from Sikeston that suggested the presence of the Delta variant, which may be more infectious than the parent strain of the COVID-19 virus or other variants.
“DHSS and the Scott County Health Department encourage you to attend the upcoming, free testing event, whether you are experiencing symptoms or not,” Knutson said. “Community testing events such as this can provide you helpful information to better protect yourself and your family. It also provides extremely valuable information to public health officials for monitoring COVID-19 transmission in Missouri.”
No registration is required for the Aug. 25 COVID testing event, Knutson said. For information on this event and other free testing options in Missouri, visit health.mo.gov/communitytest or call 877-435-8411.
This news comes as area counties continue to report increases in the number of positive COVID-19 cases.
On Wednesday, the Scott County Health Department reported 37 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Monday, bringing the total of active cases to 242. Twenty-two people have recovered from the virus since Monday. To date, there have been 4,541 total positive COVID cases and 89 deaths in the county.
On Aug. 13, the New Madrid County Health Department said it had 106 active COVID cases. To date, there are a total of 2,425 cases and 54 deaths related to the virus.
Stoddard County Public Health Center reported on Wednesday 69 new positive cases since its last update on Monday, increasing the total of active cases to 211. There have been 79 COVID-related deaths in the county.
On Wednesday, the Mississippi County Health Department said since Aug. 13, there have been 19 new positive COVID Cases in the county, bringing the total number of active cases to 76. The total number of positive cases for both the community and Southeast Correctional Center is 1,944. The number of deaths remains at 32. There are no active or new cases at SECC.
Mississippi County Health Department said it is highly recommended that the following precautions be taken to prevent the spread of COVID in the community:
— Limit close contact with people who are outside of your household
— Wear a mask or cloth face covering in public
— Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content
— Avoid touching your face
— Stay home if you are feeling sick