Since the pandemic hit, the number of people going to the D.C. region’s burn center is up dramatically, and cases are more serious than usual, the center’s director said.
“We’ve had nearly 60 to 70% of more volume than we normally have during this time of the year,” said Dr. Jeffrey Shupp, director of the Burn Center at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
The Burn Center at MedStar Washington Hospital Center serves D.C., Southern Maryland, Northern Virginia and eastern West Virginia.
“From about the end of February until now, we’ve seen burns that are larger than we typically see,” Shupp said. “We have more patients in the intensive care unit than we would normally have for this time of the year.” About 30 to 40% of the burns involve cooking accidents. And, they too are unusual.