Deaconess seeing uptick in COVID-19 cases across hospitals

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - COVID-19 cases are climbing again in the Tri-State, and Deaconess doctors are reporting a significant increase of cases in their hospitals.

“We’ve been seeing a significant number of COVID patients, it’s been fairly steady over the last few weeks,” said Dr. Dennis Beck with Deaconess.

“My respiratory system is very mad right now,” said 14 News producer Marisa Williams, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Williams is a part of that increase in cases, but she wasn’t sure at first.

“I was spending more time outside, allergies were coming with a vengeance, I’m in a new city,” Williams said.

But her positive COVID test showed her she was right to be suspicious.

“Something in the pit of my stomach feels wrong about this cough,” said Williams. “I was describing it like an elephant was sitting on my chest.”

Dr. Beck says it’s common to confuse your symptoms.

He says that’s why you should stay home if you feel symptoms of any kind until you get tested.

“The cases are probably going up as the Omicron variant evolves there’s been a couple of new variants that have come out of South Africa recently,” said Dr. Beck. “The virus is still trying to go around or circumvent the current vaccine regime that’s in play right now.”

The good news is Beck says the cases he’s seen are milder during this surge, thanks to vaccines.

“We’re certainly not seeing the number of people in ICUs that we did, or on ventilators,” said Beck. “So that phase thankfully doesn’t seem to be reoccurring.”

In this stage of the pandemic, Beck echoes the advice we’ve gotten all along.

Get vaccinated, wash your hands, and wear a proper KN95 mask around at-risk people.

When it comes to isolation, Beck says to check in with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their current guidelines say to isolate for at least five days if you’ve tested positive.

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