Spike in COVID-19 inpatients

Najahe sherman.

New at ten -- positivity rates for coronavirus are up across north alabama.

Marshall county currently has the highest with 54-percent of people testing positive over the last three weeks.

Now -- marshall county medical centers have a record number of coronavirus patients.

Health officials believe there's a direct correlation.

Waay31's megan reyna spoke with the chief nursing officer about how they are handling the increase in patients.

Megan says:"as the positivity rate continues to rise in the county, so does hospitalizations, and now here at marshall medical centers, their dealing with staffing concerns."

Woodruff says:"it's a challenge for us.

We'll make it through somehow because he always do."

Chief nursing officer kathy woodruff says even before the pandemic -- there was a nursing shortage.

But the pandemic has only made it worse.

Marshall medical centers currently has 55 in-patients with covid-19.

Woodruff says that's the highest amount they've had since the pandemic began.

Woodruff says:"and if you would've asked me back in march, you know, can you take care of 55 covid patients?

I would have said no way."

To make room -- just last week -- elective surgeries were suspended... freeing up 11 more beds.

But woodruff admits she's nervous to see how large gatherings during thanksgiving may affect hospitalizations.

There's a plan in place if more room is needed.

Woodruff says:"we do have a couple of large areas within both of our facilities that we could develop and put cots in and made those big, wards, i guess would be the best way to describe that."

As far as avoiding those large gatherings during the holidays -- people in marshall county have differing opinions.

Mos says:"just not seeing people, not gathering with family members as much as we used to."

Mos says:"when they tell you, you can't go eat, you can't go see your family... uh, it's a whole other thing."

Back at the hospital -- this pandemic continues to take a toll on those working non-stop.

Woodruff says:"these patients are very very sick and it's emotionally stressful for the staff because we've seen a lot of death and it's just a bad time right now."

Megan reyna waay31 news.