(Nathan Papes/The Springfield News-Leader via AP File)
Nathan Papes/AP

Despite a weekend announcement from one local hospital that was able to add enough nursing and clinical staff it could reinstate visitations, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage in Southeast Texas.

Over the weekend, 195 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in northern Jefferson County — the area served by the Beaumont Public Health Department. The department also confirmed four additional virus-related deaths. The Port Arthur Public Health Department hadn’t reported Monday’s cases by press time.

Jefferson County has confirmed 23,505 cases of COVID-19 and 455 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began.

And the county isn’t alone in surging cases of coronavirus that have stressed hospital beds to capacity.

In fact, Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council CEO Darrell Pile said 788 people in the 25-county region his agency covers on Monday were waiting for a hospital bed.

“We got in touch with the legislators to say that we’ve gotta have nurses. It’s imperative,” said Darrell Pile, CEO of Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council. “The governor ordered a special session.”

Out of that special session, it was decided that 2,500 contract nurses would be dispersed throughout the state, with 747 nurses being deployed to the SETRAC region.

The number of nurses that would come to each region had not been released as of Monday evening, but the region also includes Harris and other heavily-populated nearby counties.

According to data from SETRAC, 220 patients in Jefferson County hospitals were confirmed to have COVID-19 — 58 of whom are in ICU beds.

COVID patients also are edging out hospital beds that people with other health conditions still need to occupy. According to SETRAC data, ICU beds in Jefferson County have been at capacity nearly every day since Aug. 4.

“This was caused by the delta variant of COVID, and people had kind of relaxed (after they had) gotten their vaccine,” Pile said. “But still 40% of the population never got a vaccine.”

In Jefferson County, that number is far worse with just 41% of the population 12 and older reported as fully vaccinated, according to data from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

According to Pile, the conclusion is simple — vaccination cuts down the number of admissions to hospitals.

In order to lower the case numbers, Pile encourages everyone — even those who are vaccinated — to continue to wear masks and social distance.

“If you don’t have to go out to a place that is going to have a lot of people, don’t go,” he said. “Turn it down. Go back to living like you did last year.”

rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com

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