Phoebe COVID-19 hospitalizations nearly double after holiday

ALBANY, Ga. – At the last COVID-19 task force meeting held by local leaders and health officials, Phoebe’s health system had reached an all time low in COVID-19 hospitalizations with 24 patients across their health system. 

“We were averaging two to three new admissions a day, and we began to see a gradual uptick in that last week and really yesterday we had the highest census we had had,” says Phoebe Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Kitchen.

Phoebe has nearly doubled in hospitalizations with 45 patients. Local leaders believe Thanksgiving gatherings had a hand in increasing cases.

“We have experienced an uptick in the overall number of cases that we have here in the community, why has that happened? I would suspect that we had a lot of people that got together over the thanksgiving holiday and I think it’s very important that we continue to remember what we need to do,” says Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas.

Now as Dougherty County surges with the rest of the state, local health officials are urging people to follow CDC guidelines as more holidays are quickly approaching.

“The pandemic is still with us, people are still getting sick from covid-19, some people are still getting hospitalized and some people are still dying from COVID-19 infections. Do what you can to protect you, your family, your colleagues and your community,” says Southwest Health District Health Director Charles Ruis.

Until a vaccine is available, wearing masks, washing hands and keeping distance from others are the best ways to avoid contracting the virus for now.