COVID-19 Delta Variant Putting Strain On Oklahoma Hospitals

More than 1,400 Oklahomans are in the hospital tonight with COVID-19.

The Chief COVID officer for OU Health, Dr. Dale Bratzler says many hospitals in the state are overwhelmed.

The state health department says more than 1,487 people are in the hospital right now with COVID-19, and nearly 400 of them are in the ICU.

Dr. Bratzler says we are seeing on average about 2,280 positive COVID-19 cases a day.

"That's about the same level of new cases we were having on November 13 of last year, and we are just now starting school within the last week," he said.

He says more positive patients are being hospitalized with COVID-19 now than in the past year, with 90 percent of hospitalizations being people who are unvaccinated.

"It is now common for our hospitals, particularly in smaller communities, to struggle to find a place for a patient that is really sick," he said.

Dr. Bratzler says hospitals in the state are overwhelmed.

He says emergency rooms are backed up, as well as ambulance services, and there have been reports of hospitals having to transfer patients out of state.

"If you go into an emergency room, you will find we have quite a number of patients who are holding, waiting for a bed, whether it's COVID or some other illness," he said.

Dr. Bratzler says the Delta variant of COVID-19 is highly contagious.

He says the virus spreads more rapidly and is infecting younger people.

"You have to think that any person you encounter could be infected, a person who is infected could be asymptomatic or have minimal symptoms and could infect you," he said.

Saint Francis also released its updated numbers, with more than 200 COVID-19 patients hospitalized. Eight of those being kids.