Local Coronavirus Hospitalizations Surge to Record High

Hospital officials say they are in good shape due to planning, however staffing continues to be an issue as Covid-19 patients require a higher staff-to-patient ration for care

Pandemic setting new records for hospitalizations...kq2's madeline mcclain with more on the numbers we're seeing today at mosaic life care officials say it looks like inside the hospitals.

<<kq2's madeline mcclain reporting:alan ...mosaic set a new record number of coronavirus hospitalizations today -- with 81 patients hospitalized with the virus in st.

Joseph and maryville.

Hospital officials saying mosaic is in good shape because of planning but that staffing is tight -- and is an ongoing issue.vo:the increase in hospitalizations due to the virus is setting new records statewide -- with more than 2,000 patients with covid-19 in missouri facilities.the data also shows that 41- percent of hospital bed capacity is still available across the state...in northwest missouri ...remaining hospital bed capacity is only at 15-percent.

Top officials with mosaic say the main issue was and continues to be staffing.covid patients require a higher staff to patient ratio of care.

And while the hospital is contracting with outside agencies to shore up frontline caregivers mosaic life care chief med.

Officer: "please understand there is a nationwide nursing shortage and we continue to work to try to get more agency staff here to help us offload some of our caregivers to allow them to have some time to, you know, have their time off and to recover as we move forward with this.

And when i mean recover, i mean recover emotionally, physically from just the overall strains of caring for these patients."dr. turner emphasized that mosaic campuses are safe for all patients -- with and without covid -- to receive care.tag: starting tonight -- mosaic is honoring frontline workers by lighting up the hospital blue in st.

Joseph, maryville, and albany.the color signifies courage, stamina, dedication and healing.and on friday from 6:30-7:45 -- mosaic invites you to join them in showing cruising up to the parking lot -- and turning on lights as the caregivers exit the building.madeline mcclain, kq2 news.>> the st.

Joseph health department reporting a new covid-19 death this evening.

According to the health department the death was a man in his 70s who had underlying health conditions.

His death marks the 53rd for buchanan since the pandemic began.

Another 149 new cases over the weekend bring the the overall case count to 4,528.

Statewide, more than 3,200 new cases bring the state total to 212,441 and 3,153 deaths..

Mosaic life care with a pandemic high of 81 hospitalizations today-- 74 at the hospital in st.

Joseph and 7 in maryville.

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