Rounding the Corner

‘In a crisis stage,’ El Paso issues curfew Hospitalizations spike, filling ICUs to capacity

Daniel Borunda

El Paso Times USA TODAY NETWORK

EL PASO, Texas – The El Paso civic center will be converted into a medical care site and some patients will be flown to other cities as local hospitals are being inundated with COVID-19 patients.

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego on Sunday evening issued a stayat- home order with a daily curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless going to work or going to an essential service. Violation of the order is punishable by a $500 fine.

“We are in a crisis stage,” Samaniego said, adding that hospitals and intensive care units were filling to capacity.

The curfew is intended to help slow the spread of the virus by reducing the number of people out in public.

As of Sunday morning, a record 786 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 in El Paso, an increase of 71 patients from the day before, and the number of known active cases was a record with 11,321, according to city-county health data.

El Paso County saw a new record high in coronavirus cases: 1,443 new cases were reported Monday morning, and one new death.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that the Texas Division of Emergency Management will set up an emergency care site with hospital beds, equipment and medical personnel at the civic center this week.

The civic center site will have a capacity of 50 beds and can expand to 100 beds, if needed, the office of the governor said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is deploying two 35-member disaster medical assistance teams and a trauma critical care team to El Paso, Abbott said. The teams will arrive this week.

El Paso public health officials on Sunday again issued a plea for residents to stay home for two weeks to help curb coronavirus infections.

“In less than three weeks we’ve spiked from 259 to 786 COVID-related hospitalizations – a 300% increase. If we continue on this trend, we risk detrimental effects to our entire healthcare system,” El Paso Public Health Director Angela Mora said in a statement.

“For the sake of those hospitalized and the front-line healthcare workers working tirelessly each day to care for them, we ask you to please stay home for two weeks and eliminate your interactions with those outside your household until we can flatten the curve,” she said.

The increase in COVID-19 patients means there are fewer hospital beds for other medical emergencies, including heart attacks, strokes and traffic accidents.

The governor’s office said the state has sent more than 900 medical personnel to El Paso, and some will staff the auxiliary medical unit in the civic center.

University Medical Center of El Paso has received 71 nurses, 15 respiratory therapists, three doctors and six nurse practitioners from the state, the countyrun hospital said in a statement.

UMC is requesting another 100 nurses as the number of patients and the need for beds grow.

UMC and other hospitals in El Paso will offer critical-care patients the opportunity to be flown to hospitals in other Texas cities. As many as 20 patients every 24 hours would be flown to other cities, UMC officials said. The decision to be taken out of town would be voluntarily and made by patients. The stay is meant to be temporary, and patients would later be returned to El Paso.

The state of Texas also is sending three to four medical tent hospitals with staff and equipment, UMC said.

UMC already has added more than 80 beds and is working to add more beds at other sites, officials said.

A request by the city to the federal government to use William Beaumont Army Medical Center beds for civilians was denied, UMC said in a statement Saturday. A decision to use the Army hospital in Fort Bliss would have to come from a higher level, UMC added.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said in separate statements that they called Assistant Defense Secretary Kenneth Rapuano on Sunday to ask him that Beaumont be opened to help relieve pressure on El Paso hospitals.

El Paso has had 575 people die from COVID-19 since March.

The rolling seven-day average positivity rate is 13.47%, and 19% of people testing positive have shown no symptoms, according to local health data.

The state is sending three to four medical mobile units, which are tents with staff and equipment, to El Paso, Texas, to help fight the surge in coronavirus cases. SAMUEL GAYTAN/USA TODAY NETWORK

More than 200 vehicles line up for drive-thru coronavirus testing in far East El Paso, Texas, on Oct. 14. ARON E. MARTINEZ/USA TODAY NETWORK

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/27/white-house-science-office-lists-ending-covid-pandemic-cases-soar/3753312001/

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't" White House science office" an oxy moron for this W H??

And as far as the above post from our resident moron is concerned, we would be in better shape if the damn fools, otherwise known as trumpster supporters, would show some sense, but OMG, we are messing with their freedoms!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/27/white-house-science-office-lists-ending-covid-pandemic-cases-soar/3753312001/

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't" White House science office" an oxy moron for this W H??

And as far as the above post from our resident moron is concerned, we would be in better shape if the damn fools, otherwise known as trumpster supporters, would show some sense, but OMG, we are messing with their freedoms!

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

Well, if people are not willing to comply then why try to mandate it?

Lucky Girl wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/27/white-house-science-office-lists-ending-covid-pandemic-cases-soar/3753312001/

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't" White House science office" an oxy moron for this W H??

And as far as the above post from our resident moron is concerned, we would be in better shape if the damn fools, otherwise known as trumpster supporters, would show some sense, but OMG, we are messing with their freedoms!

As Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying: "Those that choose temporary safety over freedom deserve neither."

I find it hard to believe that with all the countries that are suffering with the Virus that Trump and the White House are the only ones that aren't doing their jobs. I know with the U.S. population there is a terrible out break but this happening in all countries. Politics isn't the answer for a cure of this virus regardless of the country.

mudgirl wrote:

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

Well, if people are not willing to comply then why try to mandate it?

I see ldrews is now in favor of anarchy. Whodda thunk? Thought he was a law-and-order man.

I think he said he put me on ignore quite awhile ago, but maybe someone can pass this earth-shattering news on to him: There would be no need for laws if everyone voluntarily complied with things. No laws against murder, no laws about drunk driving or speeding, no laws at all.

As I have often stated, I am a limited government libertarian. That means that I concede the need for a limited government. That government should be limited to the administration of a judicial system, defending the nation, and enforcing a limited set of laws. Those laws should primarily pertain to protecting the rights of the citizens to be free from coercion of threat of coercion.

The wearing of masks and social distancing have nothing to do with the proper functions of government, and so is not a valid subject of governmental interest.

There is nothing wrong with exhorting the public to wear masks or practice social distancing. But there is a lot wrong with mandating it.

For example, can you direct me to a scientifically controlled study of appropriate size that demonstrates that masks are effective against the COVID-19 virus?

And can you explain to me why some people wear a mask while driving alone in a car?

JEJACK wrote:I find it hard to believe that with all the countries that are suffering with the Virus that Trump and the White House are the only ones that aren't doing their jobs. I know with the U.S. population there is a terrible out break but this happening in all countries. Politics isn't the answer for a cure of this virus regardless of the country.

Have you checked out Sweden? Sweden has taken a dramatically different approach that seems to be working for them.

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

Well, if people are not willing to comply then why try to mandate it?

People speed. Why have speeding laws?
People drive drunk. Why have DUI laws?
People murder. Why have laws against murder?
People rape. Why have laws against rape. Just pull down your pants and bend over.

Never argue with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it.

Idrews:
As Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying: "Those that choose temporary safety over freedom deserve neither."

Your ancient idols were dead wrong if they believed personal freedom trumps the common good.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

Well, if people are not willing to comply then why try to mandate it?

People speed. Why have speeding laws?
People drive drunk. Why have DUI laws?
People murder. Why have laws against murder?
People rape. Why have laws against rape. Just pull down your pants and bend over.

Then you obviously think that the Government should be able manate anything. For instance, how much you should weigh, where you should live, etc.

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

Well, if people are not willing to comply then why try to mandate it?

People speed. Why have speeding laws?
People drive drunk. Why have DUI laws?
People murder. Why have laws against murder?
People rape. Why have laws against rape. Just pull down your pants and bend over.

Then you obviously think that the Government should be able manate anything.  For instance, how much you should weigh, where you should live, etc.

And, you obviously don’t think at all.

Lucky Girl wrote:Idrews:
As Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying: "Those that choose temporary safety over freedom deserve neither."

Your ancient idols  were dead wrong if they believed personal freedom trumps the common good.

But that is exactly why the pilgrims came to America, and why the colonies revolted against England. Freedom is the reason that hundreds of thousands of soldiers have died in our wars.

And the "common good" is undefined. It is tyrants that usurp the role of defining the "common good". My "common good" is not the same as your "common good", nor the same a fictional consensus of the public.

If you prefer to surrender your "freedom" to your "common good", have at it. Just don't include me.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

Lady Otter Latté wrote:

ldrews wrote:

ferret wrote:Rounded the corner and walked right into a brick wall. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

If masks and social distancing work, how come the number of cases is increasing?

Because too many people are doing neither. Duh!

Well, if people are not willing to comply then why try to mandate it?

People speed. Why have speeding laws?
People drive drunk. Why have DUI laws?
People murder. Why have laws against murder?
People rape. Why have laws against rape. Just pull down your pants and bend over.

Then you obviously think that the Government should be able manate anything.  For instance, how much you should weigh, where you should live, etc.

And, you obviously don’t think at all.

And so is your mother!