(WWJ) -- Officials with Beaumont Health say metro Detroit is seeing a rise in COVID-19-related hospitalizations as the area is experiencing a “fourth surge” of the virus.
Dr. Nick Gilpin, the Beaumont’s Director for Infection Prevention and Epidemiology, said Thursday the health system’s eight hospitals have seen a big jump in the past several days, with just under 400 hospitalized patients, as of Thursday.
Gilpin says that mirrors the overall case numbers seen in the community, as the state reported an increase of more than 20% in COVID-19 cases in the past week. The case positivity rate for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties has also risen to about 11.5%, according to Gilpin.
The vast majority of the hospitalized patients are unvaccinated, according to Gilpin. Those who have not been vaccinated are driving the fourth surge of the coronavirus, he said.
Gilpin says there are a number of reasons for the latest surge, including the changing of the seasons.
“We know that cooler weather creates conditions that are more favorable for the virus to transmit,” Gilpin said. “Not only because temperature and humidity seem to favor transmission, but also because behaviorally, when it gets cold we all start to gather indoors again, and that means more opportunities for transmission.”
WWJ Health Report Dr. Deanna Lites reports another reason health officials the virus is surging again is because “people believe COVID is declining and it’s leading to relaxed safety measures when it comes to things like mask wearing and social distancing.”
The largest case increases have been happening among school-age children, those between 10-18 years old, according to Gilpin.
“Much of that is because, again, there’s a significant proportion of that population that is yet to be vaccinated.”
Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the OK for children ages 5-11 to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Health officials are still saying getting the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots are the best way to stop community spread of the virus.
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