YRMC CEO: “We would love to test everybody, but supplies are in short supply.”
YRMC urges people with 'coronavirus-like' symptoms to stay home, unless critically ill.
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - As more details about the coronavirus develop daily, one issue that stills stands is the availability of testing.
Most of the community are asking why can't anyone who’s displaying 'coronavirus-like symptoms' go to the hospital to get tested?
Quite frankly, testing is limited and it's the reality for not only locals but Americans across the country.
Friday, in a FaceTime interview with News 11, 28-year old Kaitlin could barely get through a sentence without coughing uncontrollably.
“I woke up Tuesday morning, I was in a lot of pain. So bad I could barely move," she said.
Kaitlin details the symptoms she suffered, ultimately sending her to the emergency room, saying, “[Nurses] took me to an isolation unit, I had a fever and my heart was racing.”
She added, “The advice nurse said it’s probably the flu. And when I brought up that I hadn’t been tested, she said [YRMC] is not testing right now. Even if it is COVID-19, they would not be testing me right now. They would tell me to stay home."
After nearly eight hours at Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC), Kaitlin was released, without being tested for the coronavirus, and even cleared to return to work.
This week alone, YRMC says its seen an uptick in emergency room visits.
The majority were people believing they have symptoms of the coronavirus.
YRMC CEO, Dr. Robert Trenschel, D.O. explained, “[Patients are] told they’ll be treated symptomatically, so if there is a treatment, if it is non-viral, they’ll be given that treatment.”
YRMC will only test individuals according to CDC guidelines.
He added, “We would love to test everybody, I mean that would be great. But supplies are in short supply not only in Yuma but really throughout the country.”
The hospital says on a daily basis it’s only allocated enough supplies to collect specimens from about 5-10 patients.
Chief nursing officer, Deborah Aders, said, “Those who are really having a lot of symptomatology and really need acute care treatment, we're definitely prioritizing them first because they may need to be admitted into the hospital and we need to know for isolation purposes.”
Specimen collections are then airlifted to FDA approved labs such as Quest, Lab Corps, and the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.
Typically results are expected in 5-7 days.
However, Dr. Trenschel said the labs have been backed up as the virus continues.
"Lab Corps stopped taking tests. Quest is continuing to take tests but it continues to be a cue built up,” Dr. Trenschel said.
Health officials and President Trump are urging people to isolate and recover at home.
President Trump saying in Friday's White House briefing, “We don’t want every American to go out and get testing, 350 million people. We don’t want that.”
Even as Kaitlin's coughs worsen and fever intensifies, she agrees that she’ll recover.
But, she counters the lack of importance being placed on testing.
“I do think testing is necessary because I’m not sure if people in Yuma think that [the coronavirus] is here or as big of a deal. [People are] going to take more risks with their health and the health of people around them. To be honest, I was not taking this seriously last week. I don’t wish this on anyone the way that I feel.”
Since last reported on Monday, YRMC confirmed at least 15 people have been tested this week for the coronavirus.
The Yuma County Health Department has yet to confirm any positive cases from the hospital.
