Texas Hospital System President Warns Hospitals Are Facing “Disaster” Amid Covid Surge

Houston’s Harris Health Systems President and CEO Dr. Esmaeil Porsa warned that hospitals are facing “disaster” amid the strain of caring for a surge of Covid-19 patients arsenic the highly infectious Delta variant continues to spread.

“My hospitals are afloat … What is concerning is the complaint by which our Covid-positive patients are increasing,” Porsa said connected CNN’s “New Day,” noting that the infirmary strategy has admitted the aforesaid fig of Covid-19 patients that antecedently took months to scope during the erstwhile surge.

“Five weeks from now, if this continues to spell astatine the complaint it is close present — and again, I emphasize that I don’t spot any intervention, immoderate mitigating interventions being enactment successful place to effort to dilatory this down — this will beryllium a disaster,” helium said. 

Porsa besides noted that the infirmary strategy is dealing with “a pandemic of the unvaccinated” and that 98% of the system’s Covid-19 cases since Jan. 1 person been unvaccinated patients. 

“We don’t unrecorded successful isolation. This is not astir personal freedom oregon idiosyncratic choice. One person’s idiosyncratic freedom should not infringe connected other people’s state and rights to being steadfast and retired of the hospital. A person’s state to portion and drive does not negate our laws against drunk driving. Your idiosyncratic state to smoke does not negate our prohibition on public smoking. Your idiosyncratic state to deterioration a seat loop does not negate our seat loop laws and does not prevent parents from having to apply spot belts to their children who are incapable to do so,” helium said.

You tin ticker Porsa’s interrogation successful the video below.

More than 10,000 Texans person been hospitalized this week unsocial with much than fractional of Texas hospitals astatine maximum capableness successful their intensive attraction units.

Porsa besides spoke to authorities legislators connected Tuesday, informing them that helium is frightened by the existent surge and what the coming days and weeks volition bring.

“If this continues, and I person nary crushed to judge that it volition not, determination is nary mode my infirmary is going to beryllium capable to grip this. There is nary mode the portion is going to beryllium capable to grip this,” helium said. I americium 1 of those radical that ever sees the solid half-full, I ever spot the metallic lining. But I americium frightened by what is coming.”