Midland Memorial Hospital sees its highest number of COVID-19 inpatients since pandemic began

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - Midland Memorial Hospital is at a record high of inpatients with COVID-19.

According to MMH President and CEO Russell Meyers, as of Tuesday morning, the hospital officially had 62 inpatients in its COVID-19 ward. Meyers says that there are eight more patients with COVID-19 holding in the emergency room waiting for the availability of a medical bed.

The ages of the patients range from 28-83. 15 of the patients are from outside communities and Meyers says that number will continue to go down as the hospital has to turn away transfers.

The hospital’s ninth floor, which would expand capacity for COVID-19 patients, is expected to open and allow move-ins of patients on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Meyers says that 21 of the 26 COVID-19 Critical Care patients are on ventilators. 53 ventilators are still available.

As of Monday, 27 hospital employees were not at work after testing positive for COVID-19. Another 72 employees are self-monitoring due to having some level of exposure to the virus but are showing no symptoms. Those employees are allowed to continue to work with appropriate protective equipment while they’re being monitored.