Morgan County Inpatients

At madison hospital.

Our coronavirus coverage starts in morgan county this morning - which is leading the state in coronavirus cases per capita.

Right now - the decatur morgan hospital is currently caring for 50 coronavirus inpatients!

That's an all- time high for the facility.

Waay31s sierra phillips joins us there live this morning.

Sierra, why does the hospital president expect the situation to get worse?

According to the latest data from the huntsville hospital system - 6 of those 50 inpatients here are in the i-c-u.

1 is on a ventilator.

Hospital president kelli powers explained that they expect the number of people in the i-c-u to double by this time next week!

She shared that update on the same day the hospital held the "soft opening" of its new parkway covid clinic.

That added 15 beds yesterday.

Eventually they'll be able to care for 36 there.

That comes as the county continues to see a continuing increase in cases.

The county is seeing a 10 percent weekly case increase - and added 73 new cases sunday night alone.

Now - powers says the hospital has dozens of employees in quarantine - and the hospital may run of beds for elective surgeries.

We spoke with someone who lives and works in decatur.

He said coronavirus is taking a toll on the community.

Jerry miller/ worker at emiron music "we've seen several of our customers, they've died just in the past few months because of the covid."

Officials warn to not gather with people outside your household -- even for thanksgiving.

Reporting live in decatur sierra phillips waay31 news.