Local Hospital Treats Multiple COVID-19 Patients In Span Of Three Days

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Medical professionals all over the world are working tirelessly as they treat patients who have the coronavirus, while also trying to stop it from spreading.

So far in Lowndes County, there have been six confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Dr. Clifton Scott has worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus for eight months now.

In less than three days, he’s treated two patients who’ve encountered the virus.

The physician said the alarming stats highlight how fast the disease is spreading.

“I’ve been off for a week when all of the corona stuff has been going on, and I came back on Monday and my first two patients that I saw were corona positive patients,” said Dr. Scott. “I thought it was a surprise to be back my first day and that be your first two patients. It kind of puts it into perspective about how serious this illness is and how it’s going to affect our community.”

Scott said both individuals were sick when they came in, showing obvious  COVID-19 symptoms.

“They had actually been tested previously the week prior, so they came back with shortness of breath, a fever, and dehydration,” the doctor said. “It was very much a flu like picture if we didn’t know that corona was there.”

Due to the rapid spread of the virus, Scott said he knew it was only a matter of time before a COVID-19 patient came into the hospital.

Once the results came back, doctors immediately began treatment.

“One was requiring oxygen, a fairly young guy,” Dr. Scott described. “I think that’s one of the things that people need to know is that we’ve talked about this being mainly a 60 to 80 age group range that we are dealing with, but these are some young people that we are dealing with as well that have COVID.”

To protect themselves doctors at BMH are putting on gowns, gloves, and face masks whenever they’re with patients.

“I do think that the fear of taking it home with you, passing and giving it to somebody else, we really don’t know completely what droplet amount you have to get on you, so I mean there’s a fear involved, but I mean we deal with that kind of stuff all the time,” the doctor expressed.

In light of the coronavirus outbreak and dealing with patients on a regular basis, Scott said he’s isolating himself from his wife and kids at home.

Outside of BMH hospital are signs that read “Heroes Work Here,” to honor and thank them for their work.

Scott appreciates the gesture, but said they can’t take all the credit

“Any community that is self quarantining and doing the isolation, and doing what we are asking them to do, they’re all the heroes in this because it takes all of us to control this right now,” said Dr. Scott.

If anyone is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as coughing, a fever, dehydration, you’re encouraged not to come up to the hospital, instead call the eICU department first, go through the screening process, then they’ll let you know if you need to come in.

That number is 866-941-4785.