[ad_1]
NEW JERSEY – At least six hospitals in New Jersey have been in partial ‘hijack’ status because they are treating too many cases of coronavirus and other issues amid the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The “hijack” status typically means that hospitals send a notification to incoming ambulances to take patients to other local medical care facilities.
A hospital turns away when there are not enough beds or staff available in the emergency room, or the hospital itself, to adequately care for patients.
Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, said the rise in the number of coronavirus cases was the main reason for the hijackings. But she also said that at least one facility had a CT scanner that was not working.
Persichilli said those hospitals had to shy away from the statute:
- AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center
- East Orange General Hospital, East Orange
- Burlington County Lourdes Medical Center, Willingboro
- Saint Michael Medical Center, Newark
- Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, Plainsboro
- Virtua Voorhees – Voorhees
Persichilli made the statement as New Jersey had its third consecutive day of 3,000 or more new cases for the first time since April.
Gov. Phil Murphy said hospitals are likely to continue to have problems as the second wave continues.
“The next three days are going to be difficult, especially for cases and hospitalizations,” he said.
Persichilli said New Jersey had 1,827 people hospitalized, about five times more than two months ago. But it’s also a much lower total than New Jersey had at its peak in the spring, when there were more than 8,000 hospitalized.
Murphy asked people to wait for the next few months as New Jersey awaits word on the success of a vaccine developed by Pfizer, which could be available in the spring.
“It’s not forever,” Murphy said. “It’s not forever, but we are grieving about it right now. We are still at war.”
[ad_2]
Source link