UW Medicine on Jan. 14 reached a record high of COVID-19 inpatients, 194, across its hospitals. The highly transmissible omicron variant is putting a significant strain on health systems nationally.
The omicron variant is pummeling Washington state and has also brought an influx of patients to hospitals nationwide. UW Medicine hospitals have reached a record high of 188 COVID patients as of today, Jan. 13.
Beginning Jan. 4, 2022, UW Medicine will prioritize COVID-19 nasal swab tests for people with appointments who have symptoms of respiratory illness or who have a known exposure to COVID-19.
"We've been seeing a number of injuries, the most concerning are hypothermia related," said Dr. Stephen Morris, a UW Medicine specialist in Harborview Medical Center's Emergency Department.
