Phoebe sees significant drop in new coronavirus patients

ALBANY — After weeks of double-digit admissions of COVID-19 patients through much of the coronavirus crisis, the Phoebe Putney Health System has seen more than two weeks in which new cases numbered less than 10.

The health system reported the largest date of admissions — 44 — on April 1, according to information provided Monday to The Albany Herald.

Those figures include confirmed and suspected cases of patients admitted to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center and Phoebe Worth Medical Center through the crisis.

After April 1, cases averaged 26 per day for a week before a spike of 36 cases on April 9.

In the week after that, new cases averaged 20 per day until April 17, when there were 13 admissions.

The number did not fall below 10 until April 9, when there were nine new admissions, and in the three weeks since then have remained in the single-digits with the exception of April 24, when there were 10 admissions.

Over the previous weekend, there were seven admissions at Phoebe in Albany and three in Americus. Phoebe admitted three patients on Monday in Albany.

As of Monday, there were 128 deaths of Dougherty County residents, Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler said. Over the previous nine days, there have been three deaths of county residents.

On Monday, there were 62 patients being treated for COVID-19 in Albany and 14 in Americus.

This week, Phoebe will recognize National Hospital Week, although the continued presence of the coronavirus will mute the traditional approach of that week, health system CEO Scott Steiner said.

“Normally, we would celebrate on our hospital campuses with themed dress-up days, staff picnics and other fun activities to thank our employees for their outstanding service to our communities,” he said. “As we continue to focus on our COVID-19 response, our Hospital Week recognitions this year will be more reserved.

“Now, more than ever, we need to highlight our health system, our hospitals and our health care workers for the vital and innovative ways they are supporting the needs of our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am extremely proud of the work our teams are doing and the compassionate commitment to our patients that they continue to show every day. We are Phoebe strong.”

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