Dr Christopher Ohl News Today

The number of flu cases still remains high but is slowly decreasing, and COVID-19 cases are rising, a Winston-Salem infectious disease expert said.

A Triad public health expert says the omicron wave of COVID-19 has already hit its peak in the Triad. Dr. Christopher Ohl, with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, says COVID-19 case numbers are finally starting to come down. “We did peak. If you're really into the case curves – last Friday, I think," says Ohl. "And since then, our case numbers have been coming down in the Triad as well as in the Triangle, as well as in the Mecklenburg/Charlotte area.”

Triad area hospitals are now operating near capacity due in part to the omicron variant. And health system leaders say the situation is quickly becoming dire.  Cone Health’s ICU is now operating at 97% capacity. Novant and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist are both at over 90% system-wide. Dr. Stan Fuller, with Novant Health, says their employees are feeling the strain. 

A Winston-Salem doctor told WXII 12 News that he believes the new COVID-19 Omicron variant will be 'disruptive' beginning in January.

A local infectious disease expert provided an upbeat assessment today of Forsyth County’s COVID-19 situation.   Dr. Christopher Ohl says case rates are currently down to October levels of 26 per 100,000; COVID hospitalizations are the lowest they’ve been since last September; schools are re-opening; teachers are getting vaccinated; and roughly 35 percent of seniors have already received the vaccine.