ECRMC prepares for a fall surge of COVID-19 cases

ECRMC sees the lowest numbers since the start of the pandemic

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)-With Imperial County having one of the highest coronavirus hospitalization rates in the state, the El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) prepares for the second surge of COVID-19 cases this fall.

“This is the reality of when we say, we’ve gone to a war zone," said Adolphe Edward, ECRMC CEO.

A war on COVID-19 is the reality Imperial County has been facing since the pandemic touched ground in the valley.

Although the hospital had prepared weeks in advance for a virus that had never hit the valley, nothing could have prepared them for the attack coronavirus would have on our rural county.

El Centro Regional Medical Center announced its first coronavirus case in early March and shortly after its first death.

Cases spiking higher than all other counties per capita in the state of California, deaths climbing, and a tanking economy.

Almost no one in the Imperial Valley left untouched from the effects of COVID-19 especially hospital staff that has had to take on the heavy burden of the virus.

“Our nurses here our staff here is very resilient, we come back because we know our patients are needing us," said Iran Villareal, ECRMC nurse coordinator.

A hospital inundated with patients in the thick of the pandemic is finally seeing a turnaround and seeing empty hospital beds.

“Today and for the first time since COVID-19 started our hospital numbers have dropped to 38 positives, we have not seen such low numbers in a long time," said Edward.

Just weeks ago the hospital’s intensive care unit was at capacity.

Patients transferred out of county hospitals left and right.

“We have lesser people in the ICU today, which tells us today that the trend overall is extremely positive. Inside we still have plenty of capacity, we still have plenty of vents. It’s a different story from last week if we would have met last week, our numbers were climbing, now they’re going down," said Edward.

"Anytime that a patient walks in we want to make sure that they go back home to their families, when we have a discharged patient go home that’s just the celebration of the hard work our nurses and all our staff here is doing for our patients," said Villareal.

“It’s just been a learning lesson for everybody not just for the medical field, but for the community. Our community has never gone through this, our world has never gone through this," said Edward.

The last five months have been a whirlwind for the hospital.

Finally things are looking up, but the fight isn't over."

“What we are doing is we are preparing for September and October ramp up so we don't wait to what we say is the peak of the curve to try and do something and it’s too late. So let's do it now and be prepared just in case we see a ramp-up. We are anticipating a ramp-up. If schools were to go back will there be any infections between the children will the teachers be affected. So we are planning for all of this today, we have plans laid out and are working with the community to move things forward," said Edward.

Edward says one of the biggest lessons is knowing where to find extra help.

“When you run out of all resources and your numbers keep going up, and remember at some point we were transferring ten patients per day," said Edward.

“We don't want to get to a point where the patient numbers go up, all we have to do is turn on the AC and start moving our patients out here," said Edward.

“I think now we need to clear the fog and friction of what happened and start to outline things that are working and things that are not working. So we are communicating better with the public. What we learned is that everybody is affected by this no age category is not affected," said Edward.

The hospital has been working to be transparent with the community by providing weekly updates online about COVID-19 numbers, safe practices, and current treatments and test trials for the virus.

“We were looking at it as a race, we were trying to survive, and manage through the crisis, but the message is now we managed through the crisis but let's get ready for the marathon because it will continue," said Villareal.

ECRMC says it’s making mental health checks a priority for the eleven-hundred employees at the hospital so they can continue to stay strong during this fight.

As businesses begin opening up and people try to get back to their new normal ECRMC has one message.

“Don't let your guard down even in your backyard, that is key and critical. we need you to protect your families because you are protecting all of us," said Edward.