TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. — Tangipahoa Parish is one of the leading parishes/counties in the nation for current COVID numbers. The percent positivity rate is 16.7 percent.
The CEO of the main hospital in the parish is extremely concerned and expressed her frustration during Governor John Bel Edwards' news conference Monday afternoon.
"This morning we had a 24 year old die of COVID, unvaccinated. It was preventable and in the last two weeks, we've had 14 deaths; most between 24-and-55 years old," Michele Sutton, CEO of North Oaks Health System said.
On Monday, 416 new cases and seven deaths were reported in Tangipahoa Parish. That includes weekend numbers.
Out of every county in the country, Tangipahoa Parish is second based on COVID cases and hospitalizations per capita, according to the New York Times latest tracker map based on data from state health departments.
Monday morning, North Oaks had 89 patients hospitalized with COVID, Sutton reported Monday.
"I had 13 patients in the ER waiting for a bed, 10 of which were COVID positive," she said.
She said right now, 50 percent of patients are COVID positive in the hospital. The hospital has discontinued elective surgeries tor turn recovery rooms into a third ICU.
"Where do we go next?" Sutton said.
She said 43 percent of North Oaks employees are fully vaccinated. Currently, 62 employees are out with COVID.
"Our staff is demoralized because they believe this surge was preventable," Sutton said.
The hospital is licensed for 330 beds, but even with some open there is no one to staff them. That's dropped capacity to 200 beds.
"We're worried. What happens when a trauma comes in. Where does that patient go?" Sutton questioned.
Tangipahoa's vaccination rate is 30.48 percent. Statewide, it's 37 percent.
"Please help us. Health care workers are heroic, they’re heroes, but this has been a long 17 months and we need you," Sutton said.