Peterson Regional Medical Center hit a record on Thursday with 38 people hospitalized with COVID-19 — nearly 40% of the hospital's patients.
Peterson is licensed to care for 124 people, yet the Texas Department of State Health Services measures the hospital census with 88 acute-care staffed beds.
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The intensity of the virus has ramped up as schools have returned to session, exacerbating an already difficult month of August. In the month, Peterson has a minimum of 58 COVID-19 hospitalizations. The actual number of Kerr County residents hospitalized is likely higher because it's unknown how many are being cared for in San Antonio.
Of the 38 hospitalized, just one person received a vaccine. Peterson reported 19 new cases on Thursday — just three of those were vaccinated.
The pressure on the hospital has been enormous, and Peterson is working in unprecedented space with the volume of COVID-19 patients. The hospital has not had less than 20 COVID-19 patients since late July. Even in the darkest times of December and January, Peterson had days with less than 20 COVID-19 patients.
However, the late August surge has seen six consecutive days with more than 30 people hospitalized. COVID-19 patients have accounted for about 40% of the hospital's 13-14 intensive care unit beds.
Since Aug. 1, Peterson said 465 people have tested positive. The Kerrville Independent School District had more than 130 cases in its first eight days of instruction.
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