South Carolina, the Upstate and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System are seeing a continued surge in COVID-19 cases that is starting to take a toll on staff members, the chief medical officer said Wednesday.

"There is no doubt this is one of the worst hot spots in the country and we have a serious crisis on our hands," Dr. Christopher Lombardozzi told SRHS trustees at their monthly meeting.

"As the cases continue to rise, it affects not just patients, not just the community, but also takes a toll on the physical and mental health of our team."

He said departments continue to work with doctors, nurses, therapists, lab technicians and administrators who have children at home.

"Some of our associates have had to leave because of day-cares closing," he said, adding that if schools stay closed the staffing adjustments will continue to be needed.

"As of (Wednesday), SRHS doesn't have a staffing shortage. However, our staff is strained and we are very concerned for the future," Lombardozzi said.

Through Memorial Day, he said the hospital might routinely see 10 hospitalizations for those with COVID-19 symptoms.

Since then, it's grown to about 60 positive COVID-19 hospitalizations, and this week 75, he said. On top of that, there are nearly 30 hospitalizations for those under investigation for the coronavirus, he said.

The hospital system still has more than enough critical care beds to handle the current and expected caseload of COVID patients, he said.

With hospitals in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties, "we are in relatively good position due to our ability to move patients throughout the system," he said.

Wednesday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 97 new positive COVID-19 cases in Spartanburg County, bringing the county's total to 2,745 cases and 57 deaths. Saturday, the county saw its highest daily total to date, 126 new cases.

Just a couple weeks earlier, the county was averaging a little more than 50 new daily cases.

In other words, health officials don't know when the rising numbers will end, he said.

One reason for the high numbers is, more people are getting tested, he said.

"We're currently running 400 a day through those (three SRHS testing) sites," Lombardozzi said. "I imagine that will continue to increase."

Further, as the number of those tested continues to rise, so does the rate of those who test positive, he said. Roughly 22 percent of those tested are positive, he said, compared to before Memorial Day when the rate was as low as 4 or 5 percent.

Further, the average age of those who test positive has been dropping, from the 50s to about 41 years old, he said.

Statewide, he said DHEC has reported 46 percent of those who tested positive were white and 32 percent black.

"If there's any good news in this, the percent positive fell from 40 to 32 percent for blacks," he said. "It's still not reflective in the overall population of the state. Unfortunately, the minority population is over-represented when it comes to COVID."

Lombardozzi said the best advice is the same advice he's been giving since the start of the pandemic in early March.

"If there's one message for the community -- wear masks, wear masks, wear masks. They do work," he said. "The older age group is not testing positive in as high a degree as previously. They are adhering to our recommendations -- staying at home, wearing masks, washing their hands, maintaining physical distance and avoiding large congregations of people."

Meanwhile, the hospital system is seeing how big a hit financially caused by COVID-19 and postponement of elective surgeries.

Chief Financial Officer Bruce Davis said in May, net revenue was down $17 million. For the year, there has been a $24 million revenue gain, versus a $39 million gain that was budgeted.

"We're in great shape compared to other hospital systems out there," Davis said. "It's been a rough couple of months financially, but we remain strong."

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COVID-19 taking a toll on Spartanburg healthcare workers - Spartanburg Herald Journal