Saint Francis Reports Increase In COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Saint Francis says it’s seeing a slight uptick in hospitalizations from COVID-19 in recent weeks.

Doctors also say they're seeing a new, concerning trend – younger patients needing a ventilator. 121 people are battling COVID-19 in the Saint Francis Health System right now.

That number is much lower than the surge they saw over the summer, but it is on the rise in recent weeks.

Doctors say they're seeing younger people being admitted for COVID-19. Last week, the average age of a patient on a ventilator, was 48 years old.

That's the lowest average age they've seen this entire pandemic.

Officials say 89 percent of hospitalizations are in people who are unvaccinated.

Doctors say while they are seeing some breakthrough infections, cases are much milder.

Dr. Stephanie Meissen is an urgent care physician and says this time of year is typically a busy one.

They're seeing not only an uptick in COVID cases, but also the flu, respiratory illnesses, and colds.

She says if you don't feel well and are unsure what you have, don't hesitate to get tested since symptoms can be similar.

"When people ask how do I know if it's the flu or if it's COVID, it's really testing,” said Meissen. “It's so difficult to tell just from a description or just from what you're experiencing. If you have any doubt, it's better to be safe. Especially in light of rising numbers, come in and get tested at your primary care office or at an urgent care.

Saint Francis says it’s averaging about 550 positive tests each week at their testing sites.

To put that in perspective, Saint Francis averaged around 2,000 in January.