CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Just a few hours North of here in Austin, hospitals have prepared for a surge in COVID-19 patients as cases skyrocket.
Here in the Coastal Bend, Public Health Director Annette Rodriguez said, right now hospital tents are not necessary, but that can all change.
"Our hospitals, fortunately enough, and our numbers fortunately enough have all kind of been fairly steady," said Rodriguez.
Steadily Increasing, and not slowing down. Rodriguez said our front line workers are still very busy with COVID-19 patients alone.
"48 in the ICU just today. These are COVID patients that are struggling to breathe and then we have 20 people on the vent currently. These are staggering numbers to be honest with you," Rodriguez added.
Rodriguez says the rise in cases could be from one of two things:
"More people are gathering together or people are kind of probably developed COVID fatigue that we've been talking about for so long."
Rodriguez said the light at the end of the tunnel is in plain view, but in order to get closer to the end, we have to hang on a bit longer and continue watching our own behavior.
"If you can protect yourself from getting the virus, you probably protected 20, 30 people just by protecting yourself," said Rodriguez.
Hospitals can flood the way they are in Austin and San Antonio, but only if we stop looking out for ourselves and our neighbors.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com: