BEND, OR -- Hospitals in Central and Southern Oregon have been especially hard hit by the latest increase in COVID-19 cases, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Although, State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger told reporters Wednesday, "Hospitals are stressed across the state, due to patients with COVID-19, as well as other diseases in conjunction with impacts on the workforce from COVID-19 as we are 2.5 years into our battle with this disease."

The OHA says Oregon’s latest rise in COVID cases is fueled by the BA.5 sub-variant. While COVID positive hospitalizations have increased over the past month, the 424 patients recorded Wednesday is below the predicted July peak. Dr. Sidelinger says the strain on healthcare systems is compounded by staffing shortages, "We recognize the prolonged strains on our hospital systems and healthcare workers have led to burnout and turnover in their staff."

Sidelinger specifically noted, "The St. Charles Health System in Bend has definitely been working through many staffing challenges and strains on their system. And OHA continues to have conversations with them about things that we can do together or that they can do on their own to help with those strains."

To help, OHA is working to bring in contract nurses from other areas, "We’re competing with other states and healthcare systems out of state for those same resources. Many hospitals are choosing to cutback on elective procedures when hospital beds are tight; and that’s certainly happening across some healthcare systems right now."

St. Charles officials tell KBND News the system has 22 traveling contract nurses coming to help with in-patient care.