ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported a record number of COVID-19 patients again Thursday, and the most COVID deaths in a single day since early 2021.
On Thursday, the task force reported 21 new COVID deaths, more than double the number reported Wednesday and the highest since Jan. 13, 2021. It also marked the first day the task force reported more than 15 COVID deaths in a day since Jan. 30, 2021.
COVID deaths have been trending up slowly in task force hospitals, and the seven-day average of 12 deaths per day reported Thursday surpassed the peak of the delta surge. The highest seven-day average for deaths reported by the task force during the pandemic was 23 per day on Dec. 16, 2020.
On Thursday, the task force reported 1,158 total patients with COVID-19 across the four task force hospital systems, an increase of 44 from Wednesday and the highest number of the pandemic. The task force has reported a new record high of COVID-positive patients each of the last four days.
According to the task force data, 31% of the COVID-positive patients in area hospitals are fully vaccinated. About 55% of people in the St. Louis metropolitan area are fully vaccinated.
The task force said 89% of staffed hospital beds were taken Thursday, as are 81% of ICU beds.
Task force hospital systems have started making changes to try to prepare for more COVID-19 patients. Most task force hospitals are limiting visitors, and BJC and SSM have announced they will begin delaying elective surgeries due to the surge.
Task force data for Jan. 6, 2022:
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased – from 213 Wednesday to 206 Thursday.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) increased – from 179 Wednesday to 184 Thursday. *New seven-day moving average record
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations increased – from 915 Wednesday to 975 Thursday. *New seven-day moving average record
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 1114 Wednesday to 1158 Thursday. *New daily hospitalization record
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 50 Wednesday to 61 Thursday.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICU decreased – from 198 Wednesday 191 Thursday.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators remained the same at 120 Thursday.
- 21 COVID deaths are being reported Thursday.
- The seven-day moving average of COVID deaths increased from 10 Wednesday to 12 Thursday.
- Across the system hospitals, 139 patients were discharged Wednesday bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 33,812.
- Of the 1074 hospitalized COVID patients in the three reporting Task Force hospital systems Thursday – 332 are fully vaccinated. That’s 31% of the patient population.(One hospital system did not report vaccination status)
- There are 31 COVID-positive children who are 0-11 years of age in Task Force hospitals.
- There are 29 COVID-positive children who are 12-18 years of age in Task Force hospitals.
- There are 10 COVID-positive children who are 0-11 years of age and in the ICU.
- There are 3 COVID-positive children who are 12-18 years of age and in the ICU.
- Thursday’s staffed bed hospital capacity is at 89% an average across our task force hospitals. The ICU’s are at 81% of their total staffed bed capacity.
