Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Valley Hospitals Get Two More Weeks of Military Help
TLBBHMAP3-U010ALB5ANM-348f959abae2-512-300x300-1
By Jim Jakobs, Digital Producer
Published 4 years ago on
August 13, 2020

Share

With hospitalizations in the Valley down only slightly, military medical teams are extending their help in the coronavirus battle by 14 days.

But, according to Fresno County EMS Director Dan Lynch, that won’t be long enough.

Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, and Adventist Health Hanford are getting the extra support.

The 20-person military units help hospitals maximize their available bed space as COVID-19 case counts push the facilities to capacity.

Watch: Coronavirus Spread in Fresno County March 1-July 19

Military Teams

Lynch is advising the hospitals to ask the Department of Defense teams to stay at least another 30 days. He said he expects that CRMC, Adventist Health Hanford, and Kaweah Delta will all be granted the extra time because “the Central Valley is a hot spot.”

Additionally, Lynch has asked the state to provide a team for Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno. Many of its ICU beds aren’t available due to staff shortages.

“DoD teams are specially designed for ICU,” Lynch said.

Madera Community Hospital has been receiving assistance from the State Health Corps and, at least for now, appears to have sufficient staffing, according to Lynch.

Kaweah Delta Medical Center

Since mid-July, the team of 21 military healthcare workers — mostly from Travis Air Force Base — has been assisting at Kaweah Delta.

A military support team helps Kaweah Delta Medical Center staff in July. (Kaweah Delta Medical Center)

On Wednesday, the hospital was caring for 64 patients with COVID-19. That’s down from Kaweah Delta’s high of 91 patients on July 25, but the hospital has more than 70 workers quarantined at home.

Kaweah Delta’s solutions to the staffing challenges include incentivizing clinical staff to work additional shifts and hiring additional clinical staff and student nurse interns. Additionally, Kaweah Delta has returned registered nurses to bedside from other departments.

[covid-19-tracker]

Hospitalizations Trend Down, ICUs remain High

On July 30, non-ICU hospitalizations in Fresno County were at 255, according to county data. As of Monday, the number had fallen to 215.

However, ICU hospitalizations remain high and are not showing the same type of drop. The ICU count Monday was 58 patients — same as the July 30 number.

DON'T MISS

Musk PAC Tells Philadelphia Judge the $1 Million Sweepstakes Winners Are Not Chosen by Chance

DON'T MISS

Bass’ Record 61-Yard Field Goal Lifts Bills Over Dolphins in Thriller

DON'T MISS

Big Spenders: These Companies Are Giving the Most to California Legislative Candidates

DON'T MISS

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of Election Day, While Oil Rises and Yields Sink

DON'T MISS

Saints Fire Head Coach Dennis Allen After Seven-Game Losing Streak

DON'T MISS

Raiders Fire Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy and 2 Other Offensive Coaches

DON'T MISS

Storm in the Caribbean Is on a Track to Likely Hit Cuba as a Hurricane

DON'T MISS

Israel Ends Agreement With UN Agency Providing Aid in Gaza

DON'T MISS

Demarcus Robinson’s One-Handed Catch in OT Gives Rams Win Over Seahawks

DON'T MISS

Trump, Musk and an American Masculinity Crisis

UP NEXT

Fresno State Bulldogs Stumble in Fourth Quarter, Suffer Narrow Loss to Hawai’i

UP NEXT

Challengers Seek Seats on Tulare County Irrigation District Boards

UP NEXT

Shy Pup Finds Hope with Foster Family, Evasion from Euthanasia

UP NEXT

Immediate Threat: Mussel Invades California’s Delta, First Time in North America

UP NEXT

AMOR Wellness Trunk-or-Treat Brings 700 Mendota Residents Together for Halloween Fun

UP NEXT

What Kind of Trouble Is Miguel Arias Trying to Stir Up This Time?

UP NEXT

Lyft Pays $2.1 Million to Settle Case Alleging the Ride-Hailing Service Deceived Drivers

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Shot to Death at NW Apartment Complex Is Identified

UP NEXT

SJV Water Founder Lois Henry Receives Prestigious Reporting Award

UP NEXT

Southern California County Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charge in COVID Funds Scheme

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of Election Day, While Oil Rises and Yields Sink

22 mins ago

Saints Fire Head Coach Dennis Allen After Seven-Game Losing Streak

25 mins ago

Raiders Fire Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy and 2 Other Offensive Coaches

29 mins ago

Storm in the Caribbean Is on a Track to Likely Hit Cuba as a Hurricane

32 mins ago

Israel Ends Agreement With UN Agency Providing Aid in Gaza

37 mins ago

Demarcus Robinson’s One-Handed Catch in OT Gives Rams Win Over Seahawks

1 hour ago

Trump, Musk and an American Masculinity Crisis

1 hour ago

What One Tossup District Says About the Trump-Harris Battle for the Suburbs

1 hour ago

Herbert Shines, Chargers Defense Dominates in Win Over Browns

1 hour ago

US Confirms Reports That Iran Arrested an Iranian-American Citizen

1 hour ago

Musk PAC Tells Philadelphia Judge the $1 Million Sweepstakes Winners Are Not Chosen by Chance

PHILADELPHIA — A lawyer for Elon Musk’s political action committee told a judge in Philadelphia on Monday that so-called “winner...

1 min ago

1 min ago

Musk PAC Tells Philadelphia Judge the $1 Million Sweepstakes Winners Are Not Chosen by Chance

8 mins ago

Bass’ Record 61-Yard Field Goal Lifts Bills Over Dolphins in Thriller

22 mins ago

Big Spenders: These Companies Are Giving the Most to California Legislative Candidates

22 mins ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of Election Day, While Oil Rises and Yields Sink

25 mins ago

Saints Fire Head Coach Dennis Allen After Seven-Game Losing Streak

Raiders
29 mins ago

Raiders Fire Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy and 2 Other Offensive Coaches

32 mins ago

Storm in the Caribbean Is on a Track to Likely Hit Cuba as a Hurricane

37 mins ago

Israel Ends Agreement With UN Agency Providing Aid in Gaza

Search

Send this to a friend