BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Dignity Health hospitals said on Wednesday they're still seeing a spike in COVID patients.
Bruce Peters from Mercy hospitals said they've seen a spike overnight with 74 patients testing positive for COVID at Mercy Hospital with nine of those patients, all on ventilators, in the ICU. There are another seven patients, all on ventilators, in the Mercy Southwest's ICU. Peters also says Mercy is still seeing near record levels of COVID patients.
Ken Keller from Memorial Hospital said they have 72 COVID positive patients with 14 in the ICU, 12 of whom are on ventilators.
Both Peters and Keller say they're still receiving help from the National Guard and state to help with the surge in COVID patients.
According to Dignity Health, they estimate that more than 90% of the COVID patients in their hospitals are unvaccinated and are between the ages of 30 and 65.
Dr. Hemmel Kothary from Dignity Health urges people to get vaccinated even if they've previously had COVID because antibodies can wear down in the body and vaccines boost the body's response against COVID.
