Second wave: Phoebe COVID-19 numbers now on the rise

ALBANY — The hope that the steady rise of COVID-19 cases in the region, the state, the nation and the world might somehow bypass Albany is taking on the look of wishful thinking, as patient numbers have taken a substantial leap upward in recent days.

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital officials announced Monday that, after weeks of hospitalized patient numbers remaining in the 30s, that number jumped to 52 as of Monday, with seven patients admitted on Friday alone.

“As our number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients remained steady in the 30s for several weeks, we reduced the public reporting of our numbers to once a week,” Phoebe Health System President/CEO Scott Steiner said in a news release Monday. “In keeping with our pledge of transparency, we promised to include additional public releases if conditions warranted. Today, we feel compelled to share our most current numbers since we are over 50 COVID-19 patients for the first time since late May.

“Friday, we admitted seven new COVID-19 patients in Albany, our highest one-day total since May 22, and we know other communities in Georgia are currently seeing even greater increases. These numbers should serve as a warning to every Georgian. This virus has not gone away. People are still getting sick, and the number of patients requiring hospitalization is increasing. The only way to reverse that trend is through adherence to CDC guidelines. That means wearing masks, practicing proper social distancing, avoiding crowds and washing or sanitizing your hands often. We encourage Georgians to recommit themselves to following these guidelines to protect themselves and those around them.”

Phoebe’s COVID-19 numbers, as of noon Monday, included:

♦ Total COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital: 52;

♦ Total COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Sumter Medical Center: 5;

♦ Total COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Worth Medical Center: 0;

♦ Total inpatients who have recovered: 449;

♦ Total COVID-19-related deaths at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital: 106;

♦ Total COVID-19-related deaths at Phoebe Sumter: 30.

For updated information on COVID-19, visit www.phoebehealth.com/coronavirus and www.cdc.gov.

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher