For first time since pandemic start, Owensboro Health has no COVID positive patients

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WFIE) - Owensboro Health Medical Group reports there are no longer any COVID-19 positive patients their hospitals.

According to a social media post, this is the first time since March 13, 2020.

Officials with Owensboro Health say they spent the last few years adapting to COVID-19 and learning how best to treat it. Now that they’re down to zero, they say they’re starting to shift their focus.

For Owensboro Health, the past two years have been a strain.

”This has been a time of ups and downs, of peaks and valleys for the past couple of years,” said Owensboro Health marketing director Brian Hamby.

Owensboro Health made a post to their Facebook page Friday morning, announcing that as of 8 a.m., in terms of COVID-19 they have zero inpatients, zero critical care patients, and zero patients on ventilators.

This applies to Owensboro Regional Hospital, Muhlenberg Community Hospital and Twin Lakes Medical Center.

In the past few two years, Owensboro Regional Hospital has cared for about 3,000 COVID-19 patients, so now having none is a bit of an adjustment.

”There is a little bit of cognitive dissonance, but I’ll tell you there was almost a sense of euphoria in the health system today,” said Hamby.

Even without COVID patients in the hospital, officials say there’s still a lot to do, but they hope their staff will take advantage of their new circumstances.

”We’re hoping they get a little bit of a respite here and a little bit of a chance to catch their breath, and we’re really focusing right now on the mental health of our team members,” said Hamby. “They’ve been through a lot.”

Officials with Owensboro Health say they realize COVID-19 isn’t over, but their current situation makes them more optimistic for the future.

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