DCH Coronavirus Update 9-16-20

Remembering Officer Cousette

Emergency Department staff at DCH Regional Medical Center and others gathered today for the naming of the ED family room, which will now be known as the Cousette Trauma Waiting Room.

The renaming memorializes the late Tuscaloosa Police officer Dornell Cousette who also served for many years as a security guard in the ED. He was killed one year ago today, Sept. 16, while serving a warrant. He was 40 years old.

The DCH Foundation worked with an anonymous donor for a gift to the DCH Family Fund in Cousette’s memory, which will be recognized in the waiting room.

Terri Snider, ED director, unveiled a temporary plaque with the new name. “He was a great part of our team, and we miss him terribly,” Snider, fighting tears, said of Cousette.

Cousette’s brother Juan Hall and family attended the event. Hall also works in law enforcement for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

The event included a moment of silence in honor of Cousette, a slide show, a photo display and a large backdrop with the words “Celebrating the Life of Dornell Cousette.” A meal was served as well.

Ren Pate, RN, was in the ED when Cousette arrived for treatment after the shooting. She later wrote down her feelings about the incident. Some of these were read during the ceremony.

Testing and Confirmed Cases

To protect patient privacy, DCH has established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH internal counts as of 4:20 p.m. on 9/16/20:

• 44 inpatients are being treated for COVID-19.
• 12 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
• Five or fewer who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
• 8 who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
• 3,135 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 20,661 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
• 4,064 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 30,022 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
• 884 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
• 178 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH. This is not an indication of the cause of death, only that the individuals were positive for COVID-19 at the time of death.
• 98 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).

18-24 Demographic Information

• 3.8 percent of those 18-24 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.
• 5.7 percent of women 18-24 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.
• 1.1 percent of men 18-24 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.