Delta-Fueled Infections Are Moving Through Rural, Southern Oregon 'Like A Buzz Saw'

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/08/29/ [login to see] /delta-fueled-infections-are-moving-through-rural-southern-oregon-like-a-buzzsaw
If you live in one of the rural communities tucked into the forested hillsides along the Oregon-California border and need serious medical care, you'll probably wind up at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. It serves about nine counties on either side of the border.

The Asante system encompasses three hospitals in the Rogue Valley — in the cities of Ashland, Medford and Grants Pass. All three intensive care units are 100% full of COVID-19 patients, according to staff.

"We've had two deaths today. So it's a very grim, difficult time," said Dr. Michael Blumhardt, the ICU medical director, on a recent Tuesday in August.

In contrast to earlier phases of the pandemic, the Asante hospitals are now treating COVID-19 patients in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, according to Blumhardt.

"We're seeing clusters of families being admitted. We had a father and an adult daughter admitted to the intensive care unit, and he passed away, right before, I had to put the daughter on life support," he said.