SOUTHERN NEVADA (KTNV) — Several Southern Nevada hospitals released a joint statement Wednesday morning with an update on capacity limits, advice for those who need treatments and a message about wearing masks.
Read the full statement below from leadership at UMC, Universal Health Services, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, Dignity Health Market, and North Vista Hospital:
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present many challenges, including a recent surge in the number of positive cases in Southern Nevada. Throughout this health crisis, the goal of Southern Nevada hospitals has been to protect our employees and preserve our ability to serve our patients and community. Our health care systems have collaborated from the beginning of this pandemic, working closely alongside one another to ensure sufficient capacity, staffing and PPE. We remain in constant communication, with daily teleconferences and weekly CEO forums supporting our ability to stay united and prepared to care for our community.
Today, Southern Nevada hospitals have more available capacity than we did at the same time last year, before the pandemic began. While our health care community has the ability to add temporary beds if needed, we have not had to activate any surge plans, as current hospital capacity remains sufficient. We continue to do elective surgeries. Our hospitals remain safe places to receive care, and Nevadans should not delay seeking necessary treatment.
As health care providers, we have learned many lessons since the onset of this pandemic, refining our processes to promote better outcomes and improved therapeutics. Southern Nevada hospitals can confidently state we remain fully prepared. We have the available capacity, expertise and resources to care for our community during this difficult time.
We continue to ask community members for their support as we respond to COVID-19. Please wear masks completely over the nose and mouth when in public, frequently wash and sanitize hands, maintain social distance and get a flu shot. If our community neglects these life-saving measures, cases will continue to increase. These simple steps serve as our most valuable tools. Together, we can prevent new cases and save lives across our community.
Southern Nevada hospitals stand ready to care for any future influx of patients in our community.
