In a conference call this afternoon, Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) CEO Marna Borgstrom said that Bridgeport Hospital’s current COVID-19-related figures ”“ which she described as “staggering to me” ”“ include 191 positive patients and 56 awaiting results, as of 1 p.m. today.
Greenwich Hospital, which like Bridgeport is part of YNHHS, now has 115 positive in-patients, with another 19 awaiting results.
The system has conducted more than 18,000 COVID-19 tests to date, netting about 5,200 positives and 112 deaths, Bergstrom said. She noted that Yale New Haven Hospital now has the largest number of coronavirus-positive patients to date, with 413, and another 105 awaiting results.
Bridgeport Hospital President Anne Diamond said that since that facility took in its first positive patient on March 19, it has received another 432, but stressed that it has discharged about 270. YNHHS Chief Clinical Officer Tom Balcezak said that, systemwide, there have been about 680 discharges, with 75% sent home and the remainder transferred to nursing homes or other long-term rehabilitation centers.
“We are not yet at the peak of this illness,” Balcezak said, adding that he would like to see social distancing and isolating efforts remain in place for at least four more weeks.
The recent surge of infections in Bridgeport has resulted in about 21 people being admitted per day, Diamond said; as of today’s total, 57 are in ICU, with 41 of those on ventilators. Length of stay for non-ICU patients is 4.1 days, and for ICU patients it is 8.4 days, she said.
Together, Bridgeport and Milford campuses have run 3,742 tests, which have yielded 1,318, or roughly 36%, positive results, Diamond said.
Of Bridgeport”™s 432 total COVID admissions, 61% were male; ethnically, 36% were white, 29% black, 3% Asian and 32% self-defined as “other.” In terms of age, 252 were 60 years old and above; 125 were aged 40-60; and 55 were aged 18-39.
“We do believe we are easing into our peak,” Diamond said. “Probably in the next week or so we”™ll be there.”
Six of the hospital”™s 32 mobile field hospital”™s beds are occupied, with that number expected to increase, she added. In addition, Bridgeport”™s Webster Arena is being considered as a convalescence site, if necessary.
Balcezak said YNHHS is starting to see some slowing in the growth rate of new cases in Fairfield County. He added that the system has adequate supplies of ventilators, beds and PPE (personal protective equipment), but that it does not have a surplus.
Instead, equipment and personnel are being shifted between facilities as need dictates ”“ not only within YNHHS, Borgstrom noted, but within Connecticut’s entire hospital system.
