DCH Coronavirus Update 9-2-20

Please Donate Convalescent Plasma!

Plasma is the portion of blood that is rich in antibodies. For months now, plasma from those who have recovered from COVID-19 (known as convalescent plasma) has been tried through the FDA’s Expanded Access Program as a treatment for those critically ill with the disease. Under the program, providers and patients worked with the Mayo Clinic to enroll and administer the plasma.

Now the FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) which dictates the parameters required for the administration of convalescent plasma, and the program administered by the Mayo Clinic has been discontinued. This creates a more direct channel for the administration of convalescent plasma to COVID-19 positive patients.

If you have recovered from COVID-19, you may be able to help. Please contact LifeSouth and donate. Make sure you let them know you have recovered and would like to donate convalescent plasma for the treatment of patients at DCH. You can set up an appointment to donate by visiting the link below. Thank you for helping and/or encouraging others to do the same!

https://www.lifesouth.org/

Remote Site Testing Hours

DCH’s COVID-19 screening and testing service at its remote site in the Laundry Lot just west of DCH Regional Medical Center will be closed next Monday (Sept. 7) for the holiday weekend. After Monday the site will be back to its regular hours, weekdays, 7–11 a.m.

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 3:20 p.m. on 9/2/20:

• 53 inpatients are being treated for COVID-19.
• 21 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
• 12 who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
• Five or fewer who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
• 2,936 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 19,093 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
• 3,792 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 26,618 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
• 820 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
• 158 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.
• 92 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).

18-25 Demographic Information

• 4.1 percent of those 18-25 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.
• 6.1 percent of women 18-25 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.
• 1.4 percent of men 18-25 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.