Sky Lakes opens larger COVID-19 isolation units
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File Photo (Image, Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News
Press release by Sky Lakes Medical Center
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Sky Lakes Medical Center today moved its COVID-19 isolation units into larger inpatient spaces to accommodate the increasing number of severely ill COVID-19 patients.
The Klamath Falls hospital last week opened a second COVID-19 unit after the first unit reached capacity for the first time ever. The number of COVID-19 patients has continued to increase.
“Sky Lakes today had more COVID-19 patients than ever since the pandemic began,” said Sky Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Stewart. The census in the isolation units increased from 14 Tuesday to 17 this morning.
The number of patients was among the predetermined triggers to initiate the planned expansion of the COVID-19 units, he said. The rest of the hospital’s inpatient care area remains open to care for non-COVID patients.
Staff exercised exceptional care and safety measures to move patients in the affected units to other parts of the medical center, he noted.
Stewart also implored the community to help staff help their patients. “I am pleading with everyone in this community to take this situation seriously: Please wear your mask. It’s a minor inconvenience that helps keep the entire community safer.
“The last thing we want to do is to start curbing non-urgent care because we need staff available to care for more COVID-19 patients.”
He also reminded people to maintain appropriate physical distancing and use proper hand hygiene. “Please do all you can to help us prevent the spread of this disease.”
Sky Lakes Medical Center is community owned, internationally accredited, and nationally recognized for its culture of excellence.
Everyone in the Sky Lakes family, which also includes Sky Lakes Home Health, the award-winning Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center, and Cascades East Family Medicine Residency, is dedicated to helping make our community a healthier place to live.
Editors note: This news comes as Klamath County Health Officials announce an additional 50 new cases of COVID-19 in the county. This weeks total is now 104 and the total local case count is 976.