TOPEKA – Amid concerns that COVID-19 will worsen as temperatures drop, Kansas hospital leaders warned on Friday of rapidly rising case numbers, causing poor outcomes and limiting bed capacity.

Hospital administrators from across Kansas and some from Missouri all said the number of infected patients who needed standard care and those who needed more careful attention or a ventilator had almost tripled. With people going on vacation and the Omicron variant looming, they warn Kansans to step up pandemic protocols.

Between 80 and 90% of positive cases were unvaccinated and almost all severe cases were unvaccinated, hospital directors said. Jennifer Schrimsher, an infectious disease doctor at Lawrence Memorial Health and assistant health director for Douglas County, said wearing a mask and vaccinating were key to reducing the number of cases and the burden on hospital staff.

“For those who got vaccinated, make sure you get your booster,” said Schrimsher. “I would also reconsider what you do on vacation. Look for smaller gatherings that try to stay with their own household and not travel across the country. “

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 4,297 new cases, 14 new deaths and 103 more hospital admissions as of Wednesday, bringing the total cases to 497,789 and the total deaths to 6,909.

Schrimsher and other hospital officials reported that the burden on doctors and nurses was reaching early pandemic levels. In some cases, this has meant canceling elective surgeries in order to focus on those in need of immediate attention.

Jackie Hyland, chief medical officer of the St. Francis campus at the University of Kansas at Topeka, said they had to cancel or postpone about eight inpatient surgeries because beds were unavailable with rising COVID-19 case numbers.

“The patients are upset. Many of them cry and don’t understand, ”said Hyland. “You did a lot of different things to organize an operation, so not being able to do a major operation is a big disorder.”

Similar problems exist in bordering states, and Kansas hospitals have received transfer calls. Hospitals reported hearing about health facilities in Arkansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Steven Stites, chief medical officer of the University of Kansas Health System, said they typically accept about 65 to 70% of transfer requests, but that number has dropped to about 25%.

“We just don’t have the beds to take patients in, and even if you do have a bed, it’s sometimes very difficult to find staff,” said Stites. “These are difficult times and a constant warning to all of us that if we don’t try to turn the curve, we will bend.”

For those looking to travel during this climb, hospital administrators recommend masking, getting fully vaccinated, and getting tested before meeting with family. At some locations, like Walmart, a pack of rapid tests can cost as little as $ 14.

They also recommended well-ventilated areas for family gatherings or, if possible, outdoors.

“Risk assessment, understanding of masking, well-ventilated areas instead of indoor areas, distancing and, of course, vaccinations all help,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention at KU Health System. “If you haven’t received your primary series, please get it and also get a flu vaccine. If you meet these criteria for the booster, please get this booster dose. “