Ryan states the County has seen a near 50% hospitalization increase since Friday
Currently Ulster County has only one ICU bed available
Over 70 residents volunteer to assist in the County’s medical response to COVID-19
KINGSTON, NY - One month since Ulster County’s first positive case of COVID-19, County Executive Ryan stressed the need for additional resources in order to combat the virus and protect the health and safety of Ulster County residents. County Executive Ryan stated that since Friday, Ulster County has seen a near 50% surge in those being hospitalized from COVID-19. The County presently has only one ICU bed available, and is on pace to exhaust all available beds and ventilators by the end of this week.
“Based on our projections, we will run out of both beds and ventilators by week’s end,” County Executive Ryan said. “We have been working around the clock to address this, and soon we will be announcing another initiative to add additional bed capacity in Ulster County. I’m proud that we have been successful in the production of our own PPE and in ramping up testing through our two mobile sites, but we still have urgent needs. With lives on the line, I won’t rest until we close these gaps.”
On Friday, County Executive Ryan put out a call seeking doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to assist in the County’s response to COVID-19. In just three days, over 70 individuals have responded. Those who are interested in volunteering should fill out the form found here.
On Tuesday, April 7th, County Executive Ryan will hold his ninth Facebook Town Hall. He will be joined by Kingston City School District Superintendent Dr. Paul Padalino.
There are currently 382 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ulster County and 5 fatalities.
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