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Local hospitals seeing patient spikes as Delta variant continues to spread

Triangle hospitals are seeing a big increase in ICU patients as the Delta variant becomes more dominant.

Posted Updated

By
Joe Fisher
, WRAL reporter
RALEIGH, N.C. — Time is running out for students to get fully vaccinated before the start of school next month.

The return to class is happening as hospitals across central North Carolina have seen a dramatic spike in COVID hospitalizations in the last four weeks.

This time last month, WakeMed was celebrating three consecutive days with zero COVID patients in the ICU. Right now, about 20 people are in the ICU.
Among all the COVID patients coming to WakeMed right now, 92% are unvaccinated.

Ahead of a new school year, just 1 in 4 students across North Carolina ages 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated. College student Mira Phillips is calling for others to do their part.

"It’s the responsible thing to do -- it’s the safest thing to do," Phillips said.

With the Delta variant spreading, the push is on to get more shots into arms.

Amanda Edwards is leading the vaccination effort at WakeMed and says things are getting more and more dire.

“Unfortunately, over the last month, our COVID hospitalizations continue to increase, both ICU or non-ICU," Edwards said.

And it’s not just WakeMed seeing the increase -- Duke Health was caring for 26 COVID patients last month and 55 now. That's a 112% increase.
UNC Health has gone from 65 patients to 150 — up 131%.

"Now we’re seeing a lot of patients 20s, 30s, and 40s that are seriously ill with COVID," Edwards said.

WakeMed is hosting a Back-To-School Blitz, offering first-dose Pfizer shots this Saturday and Sunday and second doses in three weeks.

“Children going back to school are going to be around a lot more people than maybe they were this summer," Edwards said.

The vaccinated are pleading with the unvaccinated to roll up their sleeves

College student Olivia Worters says it's all about unselfishness.

“Just because I am vaccinated doesn’t mean I don’t catch it anymore," she said. "I just really hope that they would make that decision not just for themselves, but for me and my friends. Because we have people we want to protect as well.”

WakeMed has filled all 250 appointments for this weekend but they have plenty of doses available for walk-ins. Parents are also able to get vaccinated at the event. Anyone 18 and older who gets vaccinated or transports someone to the clinic will receive a $25 Summer Cash Card.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services started giving out the $25 cards at select locations starting in May. As of this week, 16,816 cards have been issued for a total of $420,400.

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