Two local medical professionals joined Monday’s Carroll City Council meeting virtually to provide an update on the current COVID-19 situation in the region. President and CEO of St. Anthony Regional Hospital (SARH), Ed Smith, says we are seeing a marked increase from the 32 active cases in mid-August to the 345 active cases on Monday.
Carroll County is at a 20.6 percent two-week positivity rate as of Tuesday morning, and Smith says this makes us one of the hot spots in Iowa. He says SARH staff has been doing a tremendous job taking care of patients, not only from Carroll but from five other counties. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kyle Ulveling, told city staff and council members they have had to expand the infectious disease unit two times in just the past six weeks, and it is now up to 12 beds. He also outlined the treatments being used at St. Anthony.
To be admitted, the patient’s symptoms generally include an inability to keep blood oxygen levels up without supplemental oxygen, known as hypoxia, and/or there is dehydration and nutritional deficiencies to the extent supplemental hydration and nutrition is required. He adds the treatments here are being utilized across the country as well.
In addition to medical staff, Smith says employees, families and residents at area long-term care centers and assisted livings are making significant sacrifices.
He also thanked Carroll County Public Health for the great job they are doing in working with patients and impacted individuals and in keeping the general public well informed. One of the main things Smith stressed in Monday night’s conversation is the ways residents can help with slowing the spread.
Smith says they do not want to get into a mandate discussion, but feel they need to stress the importance of barriers. Ulveling adds that the distance of six feet is not a force field and 15 minutes is not a Cinderella phenomenon. This is about percentages of likelihood—the closer you are to somebody, the longer you are close to them and the less protection, the greater the chance of transmission.
