FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
‘Light at the end of tunnel’ or a small blip? Flattening COVID-19 numbers bring hope in California [Los Angeles Times :: BC-CORONAVIRUS-CALIF-:LA]
Despite hospitals overflowing with patients, heartbreaking numbers of deaths and COVID-19 infection rates hovering at dangerous levels, there are some signs that the daily increase in the number of coronavirus cases is beginning to flatten in California.
It may take a few more days or weeks to be assured of the trend and the flattening could be reversed if people ease up further on mask wearing and social distancing. But a number of state and local officials are voicing cautious optimism that the unrestrained, exponential daily worsening of the pandemic has slowed.
Despite hospitals overflowing with patients, heartbreaking numbers of deaths and COVID-19 infection rates hovering at dangerous levels, there are some signs that the daily increase in the number of coronavirus
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The first patient was transferred from College Medical Center at about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Additional patients are expected to arrive in the coming days and weeks, though agreements with some facilities still need to be ironed out, officials said.
The nearly century-old Community Hospital is not accepting walk-in patients and its emergency department is not slated to open until March. For now, the facility will only accept non-coronavirus transfer patients from other medical facilities to free up space for COVID-19 patients.
Though a regional inspector gave the go-ahead for the facility to open Monday, the hospital did not accept patients immediately because transfers must be approved by hospitals, physicians and in some cases insurance companies, said John Molina, a partner with Community’s operator, Molina, Wu Network.