COLUMBUS, Ind. — COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have steadily declined in Bartholomew County since reaching peaks about a month ago. But the county’s death toll continues to rise and the hospital is dealing with higher-than-normal patient loads.
On Tuesday, there were 28 people hospitalized with COVID-19 at Columbus Regional Hospital, down from a record 70 on Jan. 17, hospital officials said. However, hospitalizations from the virus remain at more than twice the level seen one year ago, when access to vaccines was still limited.
The total hospital census at CRH was running in “the 170s” on Wednesday with a staffed occupancy rate of 90%. That is down from 198 seen at times over the past couple months, but considerably higher than what the hospital would generally see outside of a pandemic.
By comparison, 100 to 120 hospitalizations would be considered “very busy” in previous years.
“(The high census) seems to be a combination of a busy acute care day and a busy day in surgical services,” said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue. “We’re trying to get those surgeries and procedures that had to be delayed over the past several weeks/months back on the schedule as quickly as possible, especially those that require a hospital stay.”
Though COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped, the death toll from the virus continues to grow.
A total of 11 Bartholomew County residents died from COVID-19 during the first two weeks of February, putting the county on pace to record about 22 deaths from the virus this month. The last time more than 22 deaths were recorded in Bartholomew County in a single month was January 2021, when 27 local residents died.
Deaths also have continued to rise in the Columbus area, with state health officials reporting seven new virus deaths on Tuesday, including four deaths in Jackson County, two in Shelby County and one death each in Bartholomew and Decatur Counties.
Overall, the virus has killed 233 Bartholomew County residents, including 18 people in their 50s, six people in their 40s, three people in their 30s and two local residents ages 19 or younger.
Additionally, the virus has killed 164 Bartholomew County residents ages 70 and up and 40 people in their 60s.
The number of confirmed cases in Bartholomew County has continued to drop, with the seven-day average of daily cases reaching 37 on Monday, according to preliminary figures from the Indiana Department of Health.
For the complete story, see Thursday’s Republic.
