Overcrowded Local Hospitalizations Forces Transfer Outside Region for Medical Attention

The local surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations are starting to result in transfers to west side hospitals for those seeking urgent medical attention.

"The important thing our citizens need to know is that our capacity as a regional healthcare system is filling up," said Clint Strand, Cascade Medical director of public relations.

At Cascade Medical on Wednesday night, three COVID positive patients were in the emergency department.

"One of those patients needed ICU care and there were no spaces east of the Cascades," said Strand. "We had to ship that person to the west side."

As of Wednesday night, Confluence Health had over 20 patients in ICU with nine on ventilators and require labor intensive care. In order to properly care for these patients, multiple people need to tend to these folks.

According to Strand, Confluence is attempting to move COVID patients in order to have room for patients with immediate need such as strokes and heart attacks.

"With the trajectory we're seeing from holiday get togethers, and especially, Thanksgiving, we're expecting those numbers to climb over the next week or," said Strand.

The Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee will offer free testing for the next three days, before another round the 17th through the 22nd. The National Guard will be running a testing site in Cashmere on December 11 from 10-4:30 at Riverside Park.