CAMERON COUNTY, Texas (KVEO) — Hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley are on the brink of being overwhelmed and local health officials say they aren’t sure how much more hospitals can take.
Increases of COVID-19 hospitalizations are sweeping the region.
Since December 31, the region has been above the 15% threshold for high covid hospitalizations in a trauma service area.
Which stated in Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-32 if it continues for a total of 7 days restrictions would be made on venue capacity.
Dr. James Castillo who is the Health Authority of Cameron County says he expects that the rise will continue.
“At 15% if you don’t do something and you start getting into 20, 30, 40, 50 percent of your hospital with COVID. Well, what that clearly means, what happens at that point is extra people die and now you can not take care of all the normal stuff that hospitals do. It makes the hospitals not function,” said Dr. Castillo.
He says most hospitals in Cameron County are over 20% full with COVID-19.
Dr. Castillo says the state set regional numbers that Cameron County has passed and as a trauma region we’re passing it by the day. The possibility of venue restrictions could be made.
“The Governor would hopefully implement [stricter] restrictions to try to do whatever they can do to reduce people to getting COVID. We all know what people need to do to not get exposed to this virus,” said Dr. Castillo.
He says although those restrictions would be made by the Governor, people can choose to decrease their exposure.
Castillo urged that this is a serious problem that doesn’t only affect people in the hospital but everyone.
