Will County hospitals see slight dip in COVID cases over past 24 hours

The COVID-19 cases at Will County hospitals have dipped slightly in the last 24 hours.

Here are the numbers as of Thursday.

Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox is caring for 89 COVID-19-positive patients, according to Debra Robbins, director of marketing and community relations at Silver Cross.

In addition, 15 patients are in the intensive care unit and 11 are on ventilators, Robbins said.

On Wednesday, Silver Cross had 94 COVID-19-positive patients,16 patients in the ICU and 11 on ventilators, Robbins said.

AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet is caring for 66 COVID-19-positive inpatients and has 25 people awaiting test results, said Timothy A. Nelson, spokesman for AMITA Health.

On Wednesday, Saint Joseph had 76 COVID-19-positive inpatients, Nelson said.

AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook is caring for 30 COVID-19-positive inpatients and has eight people awaiting test results, Nelson said.

On Wednesday, Bolingbrook had 33 COVID-19-positive inpatients, Nelson said.

Edward Hospital is treating 60 inpatients with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Three inpatients with a confirmed case of COVID-19 have died over the past 24 hours, said Keith Hartenberger, system director and public relations for Edward-Elmhurst Health.

Ten inpatients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 were discharged from Edward Hospital over the past 24 hours, Hartenberger said.

On Wednesday, Edward Hospital was treating 60 inpatients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one inpatient death.

Edward Hospital's sister hospital, Elmhurst Hospital, is treating 71 inpatients with COVID-19. No inpatients with COVID-19 have died over the past 24 hours.

One inpatient with a confirmed case of COVID-19 was discharged from Elmhurst Hospital over the past 24 hours, Hartenberger said.

On Wednesday, Elmhurst Hospital, was treating 70 inpatients with COVID-19 and no inpatient deaths.

On Thursday, the South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has 16.1 % of its medical/surgical beds available and 19.1 % of ICU beds. The state's minimum threshold is 20%, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

According to the IDPH, 29 out of 162 staffed ICU beds are available, an increase of six from Monday.

Health care consultant Jeffrey R. Softcheck said in a Nov. 19 Herald-News storythat the situation becomes critical once a region reaches 10% of available beds.

Once a hospital's capacity becomes really low, hospitals may have to make critical decisions on who does and does not receive care, he said.