By Gemma DiCarlo
Goshen Hospital is currently experiencing its highest surge in COVID-19 patients since November of last year.
According to a release from the hospital, 41 patients are currently hospitalized with COVID, 35 of whom are unvaccinated. That’s the highest number of COVID patients so far this year.
The hospital says the recent surge has interfered with scheduling for surgeries, screenings and other procedures.
In the release, Chief Medical Officer and infectious disease specialist Dr. Dan Nafziger urged residents to get vaccinated if they haven’t already.
“While people who are vaccinated are still getting COVID-19, the vast majority of those hospitalized have not been vaccinated,” Nafziger said. “If you have not yet chosen to be vaccinated, I urge you to talk to your primary care provider about the protection it could offer you.”
According to the state’s vaccine dashboard, 82,724 Elkhart County residents – or just under 40 percent – are fully vaccinated. Some of the state’s least-vaccinated zipcodes are in the county.