Hospitals in Metro Detroit are Overwhelmed by Patients as COVID Cases Increase

DETROIT – Emergencies are flooded with patients in Metro Detroit.

Michigan continues to lead the country in COVID rates, but did see a drop in business on Saturday.

17 April 2021: Cases in coronavirus in Michigan up to 785,307; The death toll now stands at 16,840

The state added 5,530 new cases on Saturday.

Lake Huron Medical Center said ambulance traffic is being diverted, but all walk-in traffic is being treated. Port Huron Hospital said it was sending patients to other hospitals.

“One of the biggest concerns we currently have is capacity,” said Dr. Justin Skrzynski said.

Dr. Justin Skrzynski helps manage the COVID units at Beaumont Royal Oak, and he said there is no way around it.

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READ: Beaumont officials are very concerned about staff because Michigan hospitals are full of COVID patients

This is because they are seeing more and more positive COVID cases.

‘One of the big problems with COVID care is that it just takes up more space than regular medical care. “So you can imagine that the hospital is filling more and more COVID patients, and that they are displacing all the non-COVID care more and more,” Skrzynski said.

And they are not alone.

“Right now at Detroit Medical Center, we, like everyone else, have seen an increase in COVID-positive cases,” said Dr. Patricia Wilkerson-Uddyback said.

Uddyback, along with Detroit Medical Center, said they are seeing more younger people this time around.

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‘This population of COVID-positive cases is much younger. I would say, from mid-20s, early 30s to 50s, ‘Uddyback said. ‘I think people are starting to let their guards down. They are outside, it’s getting hotter. We can not let our guards down. ”