ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force on Thursday reported fewer than 800 COVID-19 hospitalizations for the first time since Nov. 15.
Data provided by the task force Thursday showed decreases in most of the numbers they track including hospitalizations, which decreased from 830 to 796.
Although the number of COVID-19 patients hit its lowest number in more than a month, task force hospitals remain more than 80% full. ICUs are 89% full, the task force said.
In his last briefing of the year on Wednesday, Dr. Alex Garza said suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients made up 18.4% of the task force hospitals' total occupied beds and about 26.5% of total ICU beds. He said both numbers have improved over the last week but remain much too high.
Dr. Garza urged once again to be vigilant as the New Year's holiday approaches, cautioning people not to go out to crowded areas to celebrate, or to host a crowded gathering at home.
“This pandemic is not going to improve just because we’re entering the new year," Garza said.
The following data are the combined figures from the four major health systems (BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health, St. Luke’s Hospital) that are part of the task force, for December 31.
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased from 98 yesterday to 93 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased – from 102 yesterday to 100 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations decreased - from 832 yesterday to 826 today.
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 830 yesterday to 796 today.
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 70 yesterday to 63 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs increased – from 176 yesterday to 183 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators decreased – from 112 to 101 today.
- The number of COVID deaths decreased – from 25 yesterday to 16 today.
- The seven-day moving average of COVID deaths remained the same at 17 today.
- Across the system hospitals, 141 COVID-19 patients were discharged to home yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 14,603.
- Today, staffed bed hospital capacity is at 82%, an average across our task force hospitals. The ICU’s are at 89% of their total staffed bed capacity.