COVID-19 cases drop, hospitals still full
Daily cases of COVID-19 have fallen from their high point in early December, but the state’s Department of Health Services continues to declare that the level of disease activity in Marathon County is “critically high” and that empty hospital beds across Northcentral Wisconsin are are tough to find. The DHS reported that there were 87 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Marathon County on Dec. 27. That compares with 251 cases on Dec. 2. This year’s disease pattern appears to mirror last year’s surge. In 2020, COVID-19 cases started to dramatically increase starting in September. They peaked above 250 cases a day on Nov. 15 and gradually diminished to the single digits by June.
At the same time, DHS reports that hospitals across northcentral Wisconsin as of Dec. 21 are full of patients, including those with cases of COVID-19:
n Ninety-three percent of hospital beds are full, including 97 percent of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds. Fortyfour percent of ventilators are being used.
n Eighty-two percent of hospitals are at “peak capacity” including all of hospital ICUs. Eighty-two percent of surgical medical units are at capacity.
Aaron Ruff, spokesman for the Marathon County Health Department, said that Marathon County had a “rough month” in December for COVID- 19 where 50 people died and 210 individuals were hospitalized.
Ruff underscored that the vast majority of county coronavirus cases, 78 percent, are among people who are not vaccinated. Only three percent involved people who are fully vaccinated with a booster shot, he said.
Ruff said the Wisconsin Lab of Hygiene has reported that Delta is the most prevalent variant among Wisconsin coronavirus cases. The lab does genomic sequencing of random cases around the state. Ruff said it is “most likely” that the Omicron variant has found its way to Marathon County.
The spokesman said Marshfield Clinic and Aspirus representatives have told him that they are postponing elective surgeries at this time because of a surge of COVID-19 cases.
In other coronavirus news:
n North Central Health Care (NCHC) announced Dec. 20 it is working with Aspirus Health and Marshfield Clinic to admit up to four COVID-19 recovered patients per day into Mount View Care Center in Wausau or Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill. These covidrecovered patients will receive skilled nursing care within NCHC’s current operations in partnership with the North Central Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition. These patients will be isolated from other NCHC operations.
n An Aspirus Wausau Hospital physician with experience treating COVID-19 patients said this week that vaccinations and booster shots for the disease were superior to natural immunity after having the disease.
Dr. Adam Clements said that natural immunity from COVID-19 can be spotty. A recent Center for Disease Control study found that 36 percent of COVID-19 cases didn’t result in development of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, he said. Additionally, Clements explained, natural immunity fades quicker than immunity from a COVID-19 vaccine. Sixty-five percent of people who start with a lower antibody baseline from infection completely lost their COVID-19 antibodies within 60 days.
“Natural immunity is great for mono,” said Dr. Clements. “People don’t die from mononucleosis and the immunity lasts a long time. For covid, natural immunity is not an effective or wise strategy.”
Dr. Clements advised people getting vaccinated to avoid serious illness or death from COVID-19.
“I have never seen anyone die from a vaccine-related complication,” Dr. Clements said. “I see people die of covidevery single day at this hospital.”
