Major health care systems in Wisconsin are moving to reopen COVID-19 units as the number of virus-related hospitalizations in the state continues to rise.
Gundersen Health System announced Monday that it would reopen its COVID-19 unit in La Crosse after closing it in April.
Bridget Pfaff, Gundersen’s clinical operations director for infection control, said the hospital is already seeing a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
"A couple of weeks ago, we had one to two patients. A week ago, five to six (patients), and really we’re up to 15 to 16 patients now," Pfaff said. "The trend is certainly going in the wrong direction for what we would anticipate seeing. We certainly have seen a lot of people getting vaccine in our community, but seeing a lot more patients who are ill with COVID and sick enough to be presenting for health care."