NJ COVID hospitalizations at 6,089 Tuesday as ventilator use and intensive care needs rise

The number of hospitalized patients in New Jersey with COVID-19 reached 6,089 overnight Tuesday, an increase of 29% since Jan. 2 and continuing a steady spike that began in November. 

More alarming is the quickening rise in the number of COVID patients needing the use of a ventilator to help them breathe. That stood at 550 Tuesday night, up 50 from the day before and an increase of 88% since Jan. 2. It's the highest total for ventilator use since back in May of 2020, during the pandemic's first wave.

A profile of ventilator patients is beginning to emerge, with a significant number unvaccinated against COVID, and many with complicating, co-occurring conditions, such as morbid obesity and vascular conditions, according to Cathleen Bennett, president and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association.

Though rising steeply, the number of patients on ventilators still remains far below what it was during the first wave of the pandemic in late April of 2020, when more than 1,300 ventilators were in use.

COVID patients needing intensive care increased to 919 overnight, an increase of 43% since Jan. 2.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday reported an additional 103 confirmed deaths related to COVID. That bring the total number of confirmed or probable COVID deaths in New Jersey to 29,737 since the pandemic began 22 months ago.

The state on Wednesday also reported an additional 19,454 new COVID infections confirmed by PCR tests, and 4,348 confirmed through antigen tests. This marks the first day with fewer than 20,000 new PCR cases since Dec. 28, and the fifth consecutive day with fewer new cases than the day before.

But the numbers provide only a partial snapshot of the extent of new cases, since they don't include results from at-home test kits or people who have COVID but didn't bother to get tested.

Cases generally trend down seven to 14 days before hospitalizations do.

Current state modeling projects that hospitalizations will peak during the current wave at about 8,000 by the end of the third week of January, and could stay at high levels for several weeks before starting to decline in early February, according to state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli.

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Many currently hospitalized patients who have COVID were admitted to the hospital because of other medical conditions. Persichilli said that about 49% are hospitalized primarily because of their COVID diagnosis. The rest were hospitalized for other reasons, and then tested positive for COVID in the hospital.

But those with COVID who are hospitalized for other illnesses still pose a complication for hospitals, since they must be isolated in COVID-only parts of the hospital, away from other patients. In addition, COVID becomes a condition that could exacerbate their principal diagnosis, Persichilli said.

COVID cases and hospitalizations among children is also on the rise, and pediatrician offices in New Jersey are swamped. But most children get only mild symptoms, and  recover quickly.

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Patients needing the most intensive care remain far and away those who are unvaccinated. Persichilli said that of those currently hospitalized, 68% are not vaccinated or are only partially vaccinated, and 32% are fully vaccinated.

The number of people with new infections far exceeds the number of people getting booster shots in New Jersey, which could protect against new infections. For example, Gov. Phil Murphy said on Monday that about 168,000 people got boosters last week, while the total who tested positive last week was 229,895.

Even as they must deal with growing numbers of patients, hospitals are also grappling with serious staff shortages due to COVID. On Tuesday, there were 396 new infections among staff, who must then isolate at home for five days. That comes on the heels of 271 new cases Monday, and 358, 482, 608 and 862 new cases in the previous days.

To cope, some hospitals have had administrators fill support roles, and some hospitals have curtailed non-emergency surgeries. In addition, the state asked for strike teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help bolster staff at some hospitals.

Hardest hit over the past 30 days has been University Hospital in Newark, with 711 workers infected, followed by St. Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson with 603, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and Hackensack University Medical Center with 590 each, Morristown Medical Center with 475, St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton with 474,  and Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus with 407.

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Long term care facilities are also facing a shortage of staff as more call in sick from COVID. On Tuesday, there were active outbreaks of COVID at 535 long term care facilities statewide, with 7,709 infections among residents and 10,721 infected staff.

The worst outbreak has been at Woodland Behavioral and Nursing Center, formerly Andover Subacute II, in Sussex County, with 218 cases among residents, 121 cases among staff and three deaths among residents.

The three state-run veterans homes, hit hard during the first wave of the pandemic, have been dealing with new outbreaks. The home at Menlo Park has 35 infections among residents, 117 among staff and four resident deaths. The Paramus home has 19 cases among residents, 96 among staff and three resident deaths. The Vineland home has 12 infections among residents and 133 among staff, with two resident deaths.

Other facilities with large outbreaks include Sinai Post-Acute Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Newark with 168 resident cases and 65 staff cases, along with one resident death; Preakness Healthcare Center in Wayne with 27 resident cases, 125 staff cases and one resident death; Alaris Health at Hamilton Park in Jersey City with 72 resident cases, 42 staff cases and five resident deaths; Willow Springs Rehab and Health Care Center in Brick with 49 resident cases, 34 staff cases and nine resident deaths; and Hackensack Meridian Health Nursing and Rehabilitation in Red Bank with 70 resident cases, 36 staff cases and four resident deaths.