KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — North Idaho's largest hospital broke a record Wednesday morning for the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic.
There are 96 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Kootenai Health on Wednesday, Aug. 25 and 37 of those patients require critical care. Kootenai Health previously reported 91 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Tuesday, tying a record set on Dec. 23, 2020. According to Kootenai Health, 97% of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.
According to KREM 2 news partner the Coeur d'Alene Press, the Panhandle Health District reported 121 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. The Spokane Regional Health District reported 184 hospitalized COVID-19 patients on Tuesday and 326 new cases.
According to Kootenai Health Public Affairs Strategist Caiti Bobbitt, the best way to protect the community is to get vaccinated and wear a mask.
"Given our communities current positivity rate, the fair in progress, Labor Day and school starting, we expect that number [of hospitalizations] to increase," Bobbitt said.
Kootenai Health is currently licensed for 330 beds. Bobbitt said 42% of the hospital is COVID-19 patients. They are treated in the medical and surgical unit, which has 200 beds. The percentage excludes the behavioral health, NICU and the birth center.
In a Facebook post, Kootenai Health said its COVID-19 patients require double the oxygen normally used. A larger oxygen tank was installed Tuesday in order to be able to keep up with the growing demand of patients requiring high flow oxygen.
The picture below depicts the larger tank that is laying horizontally, which will replace the other tank.
Only about 53% of those eligible for the vaccine in Idaho have gotten a shot. According to the state's dashboard, 803,695 people have received a vaccine and 720,700 people have been fully vaccinated. The total number of doses administered in Idaho now stands at 1,464,258.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 60% of the population 12 and older nationwide is fully vaccinated, while 71% have received at least one dose of the vaccine.