Infectious Diseases
Ad the Covid-19 pandemic is official over, the writer of this column and this editor have decided to rename it to reflect other diseases that occur over time.
This new page on the Beat, as of March 18, 2020, will be dedicated to news on COVID-19 as we receive it. Some articles in front page news, in legal notices, columns, in sports, in editorials or letters to the editor, as well as in local and non-local news releases may also pertain to COVID-19. So please look at all pages in the Beat for ongoing news.
The COVID REPORT September 23, 2023
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 23 September 2023 23 September 2023
US covid admissions rose. NM covid admissions and covid ED % visits rose. Grant County covid cases and positivity rose, and at least one facility in Grant County required masks this week.
However, US covid ED % visits fell and US positivity fell. NM positivity fell. CDC may revise mask guidance to be less restrictive.
For details please see the attached file.
The COVID Report 082123
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 21 August 2023 21 August 2023
See full PDF report at the bottom of this summary
In general, while covid cases have been rising, the scale is still relatively low.
One concern is that RSV (not tracked here) can affect senior citizens, and that RSV together with influenza may aggravate covid infections this winter.
* The emerging covid variant is "Eris" EG.5 and is about 17% of new USA cases
* USA covid admissions have been rising in the USA since about July 1, 2023
* USA covid deaths have been falling since July 15, 2023
REVISED: Results of a very focused look at GRMC HAI
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 19 May 2023 19 May 2023
Recent news reports have suggested Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) increased during the COVID pandemic years. The attached report focuses on our local hospital, Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) in Silver City NM and covers 3 years of pre-covid data from New Mexico, and the latest year of US federal data. Along with Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), patient surveys covering doctors, nurses, and staff are also shown. Where feasible, comparisons have been made with the nearest similar hospital, Mimbres Memorial Hospital in Deming. In essence, the data shows our local hospital fared well in 2020 to 2021.
Simon Wheaton-Smith
See report in PDF format below:
THE FINAL COVID REPORT - APRIL 15, 2023
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 15 April 2023 15 April 2023
This is the final edition of the COVID Report series. In essence, states are reducing reporting due to the endemic nature of covid, NM is halting their dashboard and only doing some updates monthly, the public health emergency is ending, trends are trending down, and new sub variants have not negated progress; thus the report can no longer provide meaningful updates. Thank you for having read it, and for offering suggestions that improved this report. Be safe.
Simon Wheaton-Smith
THE OVERALL SUMMARY - April 15, 2023
THIS IS THE LAST REPORT IN THIS SERIES
US COVID weekly cases 101437 which FELL 17.3%, and positivity FELL also [page 7]
US COVID weekly admissions fell, and hospital beds in use fell [page 25]
NM COVID weekly cases rose 8.3%, and positivity rose, hospital bed usage fell [page 13, 14, 24]
Grant County weekly COVID cases fell 28.1% and succeeding peaks are lower [page 5, 16, 22]
Silver City Week on Week cases fell and succeeding peaks are lower [page 1]
OUR LOCAL GEOGRAPHIC AREA - GRANT COUNTY COVID ADDITIONAL DATA:
The COVID Report for April 8, 2023
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 08 April 2023 08 April 2023
THE OVERALL SUMMARY - April 8, 2023
US COVID weekly cases 120,820 which FELL -11.7%, and positivity FELL [page 7]
US COVID weekly admissions fell, hospital beds in use were higher [page 25]
NM COVID weekly cases fell -11.0%, and positivity fell, hospital bed usage may have leveled [page 13, 14, 24]
Grant County weekly COVID cases fell 6.7% and succeeding peaks are lower [page 5, 16, 22]
Silver City Week on Week cases rose a bit [page 17]
OUR LOCAL GEOGRAPHIC AREA - GRANT COUNTY COVID ADDITIONAL DATA:
THE COVID, FLU, HMPV, RSV REPORT - April 1, 2023
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 01 April 2023 01 April 2023
THE OVERALL SUMMARY - April 1, 2023
Overall USA weekly cases of COVID, FLU, HMPV, RSV in the USA fell. New Mexico still shows cases rising.
US week on week Covid cases fell 9.2%, and positivity also fell
US COVID week on week 7 day average admissions fell, hospital beds in use fell [page 8, 25]
US FLU cases and admissions fell. HMPV positivity fell yet still high (but no case counts from CDC). RSV cases fell.
NM continued a slow rise in covid weekly cases of 7.9%, hospital bed usage rose, and positivity rose [page 13, 14, 24]
Grant County Week on Week cases rose 36.6% but succeeding peaks are lower [page 5, 16, 22]
Silver City cases rose but peaks are getting lower.
OUR LOCAL GEOGRAPHIC AREA - GRANT COUNTY COVID ADDITIONAL DATA:
The COVID, FLU, HMPV, and RSV Report for March 25, 2023
- Category: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases
- Published: 25 March 2023 25 March 2023
THE OVERALL SUMMARY - March 25, 2023
Overall COVID in the USA and Grant County in NM improved.
Silver City NM cases rose but peaks and troughs are getting lower. However, NM cases continued a slow rose.
US week on week Covid cases fell 11.0%, and positivity also fell
US COVID week on week 7 day average hospital beds in use fell, admissions fell [page 8, 25]
US FLU cases and admissions fell. HMPV positivity fell yet still high (but no case counts from CDC). RSV cases fell.
NM week on week cases rose 2.3% this week, hospital bed usage fell, but positivity rose [page 13, 14, 24]
Grant County Week on Week cases fell 8.4% [page 5, 16, 22]
OUR LOCAL GEOGRAPHIC AREA - GRANT COUNTY COVID DATA: