The number of people going to the hospital because of COVID-19 is climbing.
Doctors and nurses can barley keep up while putting their own health at risk.
Here’s the situation.
As of Thursday there are more than 1200- people in the hospital with COVID-19 in Iowa.
Illinois has 5,200 hospitalized with the virus.
In our area Genesis Health System is caring for 110 COVID patients.
That’s a new record.
Unity Point is caring for nearly 80 patients.
They’ve had to cancel elective surgeries to make more room.
Local 4 News spoke to Dr. Mussasir Ashraf, who works at Unity Point Health as a critical care doctor.
He has been on the frontline since April, when the first cases were identified in Scott County.
In the early months he says he would see about three COVID patients on a typical shift.
Now he’s seeing about seven.
Last week Local 4 spoke to Unity Point Health CEO, Bob Erickson. He said about 100 health acre workers were out due to COVID or COVID like symptoms.
Dr. Ashraf says that number is alarming.
“That puts additional strain on our healthcare system when we have so many patients coming to the hospitals. At the same time we’re losing our healthcare providers because they’re falling sick. I have seen people unfortunately giving it to their family members,” says Ashraf. “I think that is the biggest worry for healthcare providers. They don’t want to end up giving it to their family members. That is happening, and we’re witnessing it. This is something really unprecedented. “
Dr. Ashraf is also one of many physicians here in the country on a temporary H-1B visa.
While he has waited years in line to become a permanent resident– his visa is tied to his employment
Meaning that if a prolonged illness like COVID-19 costs him his job, even temporarily, or worse his life. He and his family could face deportation.
So that constantly on the back of his mind as well.
Health experts reiterates the importance of wahsing your hands, social distancing, and wearing a mask.
They say that’s the only way to defeat the virus