Hospitals in Louisiana that were on the way to the hurricane evacuated dozens of patients. The storm blew off rooftops and sent water gushing to the inside. The facilities had to rely on generators for power.
Hospitals in Louisiana are already filled with patients due to the current surge of the Delta variant. And they are now preparing for the category 4 hurricane, Ida. It is expected to pass through the State on Sunday.
Hospitals Evacuate Scores Of Patients In Wake of Hurricane Ida
Hospitals in the way of the hurricane Ida had to evacuate dozens of patients. The storm ripped off pieces of their roofs and sent water gushing to the inside. They had to rely on emergency generators for power.
Ida slammed into Louisiana on Sunday as a category 4 storm. Hospitals there were the most affected in the region. They had to evacuate dozens of patients to other facilities. Some functioned with the help of generators.
Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Lafourche is one such hospital that was in the path of hurricane Ida. The storm blew off a major portion of its roof. On Monday, men from the US Coast Guard flew in and evacuated seven patients.
Ochsner Health, the largest network of hospitals, in the region had 15 hospitals in the path of the hurricane. It was forced to evacuate 160 patients. Even after the evacuation, the hospitals kept their emergency rooms open to receive more patients. Other hospitals belonging to the network remained fully operational. They managed to do it even with rooftops being ripped off. The storm also blew off some of the ventilator covers. Water gushed inside. The network also said that the situation will remain the same for a few days, perhaps for 14 or more days.
According to the State Chief Health Official, large hospitals did not suffer much because of the hurricane. It, however, caused great damage to smaller hospitals in the region. He also requested residents to avoid hospital visits as much as possible.
From Monday morning, hospitals started receiving new patients suffering from hurricane-caused injuries and other health issues.
Health officials expect more such visits. They know that it will happen when people repair damages. They may fall off ladders or break themselves with chainsaws and other things. The situation is difficult and it is going to be more so for a few more days, they know. It had already been bad because of COVID 19.
Hospitals have enough space. But the shortage of staff is the real problem. Some among them expect no issues in ensuring food, water, and medicines for patients admitted therein.
Certain hospitals in other States have offered to take up a certain number of patients, a network of hospitals reported. But their staff have managed to accommodate patients within the State.
According to the State health officials, utmost priority is being given to restoring the power supply. Up to 51 among the patients depend on generators.
The emergency response team is striving to offer technical support to hospitals in their efforts to restore the power supply.
They want to see that the generators remain operational as long as they can. They are also trying to determine the places that are badly in need of generators. This, according to them, will ensure that the ones operational there will not fail.
State health officials reported that five hospitals suffered the most because of the hurricane. They did not name the hospitals in question. They did not even specify the extent of the damage suffered.
The toughest days are yet to come, officials said. People will suffer from storm-related injuries. And hospitals will be forced to accommodate them.
At present, authorities are assessing the damage Ida caused in the State.
