LONGVIEW, Texas — As the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region nears a pandemic-high, one Longview hospital's intensive care unit is on the brink of capacity.
On Aug. 18, 598 patients with lab-confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses were in Longview-Tyler hospitals, which are part of the 19-county Trauma Service Region G, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
That's an increase from 468 patients a week earlier — or an almost 28% jump. And the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in Trauma Service Region G has skyrocketed 987% since June 18, when 55 hospitalizations were reported.
Trauma Service Region G's COVID-19 hospitalization rate has remained above 15% for at least the past seven days and was at 21.4% on Aug. 18, according to state data.
Read the rest of the story with our news partners, the Longview News-Journal.