MIDLAND, Texas — Midland Memorial Hospital is monitoring more people that are showing symptoms of COVID-19.
At a press conference Monday morning, officials said between four and 14 people are being investigated. Still just one person in Midland County has tested positive for COVID-19.
But it is only a matter of time before those numbers change. 110 people have been tested in Midland, but just seven results have been returned. Of those seven, one test came back positive.
Now it's a waiting game for their results.
“We’re aware of 110 tests that have been done so far and today only seven results have come back," Russell Meyers, Midland Health CEO, said. "We’re anticipating lots of results coming early this week.”
The one catch to the test is the one thing officials say is not on our side: time. All tests take up to three days for results to come back.
“Neither Midland County nor Ector County or actually testing here all of us have to take the swabs, then package them and send them away to a remote site," said Meyers. "It’s much more important to know how many results we have so we hope to have those numbers grow over the past few days.”
In the meantime, those who have been screened and tested have been given strict orders.
“Most of those people are told to go home and self-isolate," Meyers said. "If they have symptoms that require hospitalization of course then they’re gonna come to the hospital.”
With more people self-isolating, the hospital says it is at 40% capacity, which is a good thing if they get an influx of COVID-19 patients in the upcoming weeks.
“Activity levels are very low now as people stay home and are practicing social distancing in self-isolation," Meyers said. "Emergency room volumes this past weekend were less than 100 patients each day and that’s in the neighborhood of half our usual volume.”
Despite the low number of patients, the hospital says more help is needed in the way of more protective gear like masks and gloves.
“We are extremely concerned about the availability of personal protective equipment," Meyers said. "We’re actively conserving personal protective equipment and we’re soliciting donations.”
The hospital needs any type of face shield or mask, in particular N95 masks.
They have set up a donation site at legends park office complex.
They will be accepting donations from from 10am – noon everyday this week.
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