Increase in Covid-19 patients at Billings Clinic

Billings, Montana – According to the Billings Clinic, there are 30 COVID-19 patients in the hospital right now. Thirteen of the patients are in the intensive care unit (ICU), with seven of them on ventilators.

Zach Benoit, the Billings Clinic’s community relations coordinator, said the clinic hasn’t seen numbers like these since January. With this surge, he added, they’re seeing more patients who are younger than in previous surges. Benoit added that 40% of currently hospitalized COVID-19 patients  are younger than 60 years old.

“It kind of came upon us suddenly. And, it’s kind of alarming at how quickly it overtook us. In a matter of weeks, we just had all of these patients who were alarmingly sick and just, our numbers have swelled,” said Erin Green, Registered ICU Nurse

“We’re seeing a lot younger population with this surge, a lot of thirty and forty year olds,” she added. “People not much older than me.”

Benoit said they are exploring options for additional bed space to meet increasing patient numbers. They are also bringing in additional traveling nurses to help staff

He also said 26 of the 30 COVID-19 patients currently at the hospital have not been vaccinated.