COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record high in El Paso as impact of reopening still unknown – El Paso Times

Souper Salad Manager Eduardo Vargas explains the new buffet style set up at the restaurant Monday, May 4, in El Paso. El Paso Times

El Paso's rising coronavirus cases have reached the peak many models predicted would happen in early May.

The county surpassed 1,000COVID-19 cases Monday, and by Friday, cases reached 1,276, according to data released by the city of El Paso. Additionally, 10 more El Pasoans had died from COVID-19 this week, as of Friday, bringing the total to 32.

This past week the first full week select Texas businesses could reopenat partial capacity saw record hospitalizations in the 80s, but the impact of the state's gradualreopening won't begin to be known until this upcoming week.

Dr. Alan Tyroch, chief of surgery and trauma medical director at University Medical Center of El Paso, said it could take about 10 days to see an impact.

The spike in hospitalizations seen this past week is from infections that occurred prior to May 1, when retail stores, malls, movie theaters and restaurants were allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.

While some of these cases could be a result of people gathering with family April 12 for Easter, these casesarelikelyinstances of people continuing to gather with those outside their household, said Dr. Hector Ocaranza, the health authority for the city and county.

Souper Salad at 7019 N. Mesa open Monday, May 4, in El Paso. Souper Salad reopened both locations after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott allowed restaurants to reopen while limiting occupancy to 25% capacity and promoting safe distancing practices.(Photo: BRIANA SANCHEZ/EL PASO TIMES)

"As the governor sends the message that the economy needs to reopen, people start relaxing, hence the message we continue sending the community: please continue to observesocial distancing," Ocaranza said.

"As more places are opening, it doesn't mean that the risk of getting exposed or infected is going to be lowered," he said.

Friday's reopening of salons and barbershops is of less immediate concern to health officials than Mother's Day, which this year falls on the same day in both the United Statesand Mexico.

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If Sunday is a repeat of Easter and families get together to celebrate, Ocaranza and Tyroch said they expect hospitalizations to risein the coming weeks.

"If we don't do a good job on Mother's Day ... that may cause another peak in 10 to 14 days," Tyroch said.

Hospitalizations hit a record daily high of 83 COVID-19 patientsFriday, according to city of El Paso data.

An average 67 patients were hospitalized during the seven-day period between Saturday, May 2, and Friday, May 8. The daily hospitalization average the previous week, from April 25 to May 1, was 43 patients.

The number of patients in intensive care units also reached a record 47 Friday.

An average 40 patients were in the ICU between May 2 and Friday, higher than the prior week's 23 ICU patient average.

The city's hospitalization numbers are also a slightundercount from those UMC uses, Tyroch said.

On Friday morning, for example, UMC received a report that99 coronavirus patients in El Paso County were hospitalized. While that number can fluctuate over the course of the day, the change in patients between the morning and evening shouldn't be significant, Tyroch said.

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UMC pulls its data from the local hospital systems in addition tothe daily reports hospitals send theTexas Department of State Health Servicesand the federal government.

Ocaranza was not aware of the undercount and did not have an explanation as towhy the city's nightly numbers differ.El Paso Department of Health employees call the hospitals daily to get hospitalization numbers, he said.

Because El Paso is in the midst of a case surge, Tyroch anticipates hospitalizations to increase and potentially reach the low hundreds as soon as the early part of this next week.And high numbers of hospitalized patientswill likely continue for a few weeks.

While that wouldput a strain on the area's hospitals, hospitals are in good shape when it comes to personal protective equipment, ICU beds and equipment, like ventilators, Tyroch said.

A significant spike in hospitalizations also wouldn't happen overnight, allowing hospitals time to take steps to avoidbecoming overwhelmed, such as by limiting elective surgeries again.

The Department of State Health Services reported 53 available ICU beds Friday for the region covering El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties. Though Tyroch didn't know the exact number of available beds, it is higher than what the state reports, he said. That's because the state takes a conservative approach and reports staffed beds rather than licensed beds.

City of El Paso spokesperson Laura Cruz Acosta said an average 75 ICU beds are available daily across the county's hospitals.

El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said at a Thursday news conference he and El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego were prepared to speak with Gov. Greg Abbott as early as Monday to seek an exemption from a future statewide order allowing businesses to reopen at 50% capacity.

More: El Paso Applebee's, Peter Piper Pizza operator eager to return to full capacity in COVID-19 era

Samaniego told the El Paso Times Fridaythe motivation behind this is that localhospitalizationsare trending upward.

"It doesn't make sense that we're trending up and we're opening businesses simultaneously," Samaniego said.

Applebee's dining room reopened Wednesday, May 6, at 1766 Airway Blvd. in El Paso. Applebee's reopened their dining rooms in El Paso on May 1 after being closed six weeks by city and county orders, as part of an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.(Photo: BRIANA SANCHEZ/EL PASO TIMES)

In late April, the governorsaid asecond phase of business reopenings could come as early as mid-May, at which point businesses could operate at half their occupancy. When that happens, Samaniego said he will ask to have El Paso County be exempt from allowing that for 30 days.

Such an exemption does not mean local officials are opposed toAbbott's decision to reopen the state, Samaniego said, but rather that El Paso's coronavirus peak is a month behind other parts of the state.

"It's going to take more time" for El Paso to be ready to safely reopen, the county judge said.

Tyroch acknowledged the local economy cannot remain closed forever and said El Pasoans can patron businesses "as long as (they) do the smart thing." That includes wearing a face covering, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others when possible, washing hands frequently and staying home when sick, as well as not socializing with those outside your household.

Ellen Germany finally has her hair colored and cut after a long beauty salon closure due to coronavirus. Markham Salon at 2200 N. Yarbrough reopened Friday to the delight of many who visited the salon.(Photo: Mark Lambie / El Paso Times)

El Paso's emergency directive prohibiting public and private social gatherings of any sizeremains in place.

"Just be smart. You gotta live life.This is part of the whole thing. This is sort of like a new normal for now," Tyroch said.

That new normal will continue into at least the early summer, he said.

Staff writer Eleanor Dearman contributed to this report.

Molly Smith may be reached at 915-546-6413;mksmith@elpasotimes.com; @smithmollykon Twitter.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record high in El Paso as impact of reopening still unknown - El Paso Times