Hospitalizations dwindle as discharges reach 1,000

What YRMC learned from the peak of the pandemic

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)- Throughout this pandemic, Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) has cared for more than 1,200 COVID-19 patients.

1,000 of those patients have since been discharged.

As a community, Yuma has watched the number of hospitalizations spike right before our very eyes, hitting close to home for many.

Now watching that number dwindle, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Bharat Magu, predicts the number of cases of the virus should continue falling.

Dr. Magu believes the people most susceptible to the virus in Yuma's population has gone through phase one of the pandemic, and the few patients who are dying from it are those who’ve been hospitalized for several weeks.

Dr. Magu says no matter how prepared a medical system believes it is, a pandemic will inevitably bring challenges and deaths.

“What we’ve learned is that we can never let our guard down," he said.

Adding, "Number 2, we always have to depend on science to make the decisions. And sometimes that decision rapidly changes based on new evidence."

Dr. Magu said Yuma is lucky because it's geographically isolated, viewing that as an advantage.

While some things were beyond the hospital's control, like testing availability, Dr. Magu said the hospital made it to through the peak with what they had.

He is proud of his team’s hard work and commitment during this pandemic.