Glens Falls Hospital is experiencing a significant surge in patients infected with COVID-19. 

“To date, in this incomplete month and without counting Wednesday’s statistics, we’ve admitted 138 COVID-positive patients,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Howard Fritz said.

During the same time period last year, the hospital admitted four patients. This year's spike is filling up beds at the hospital.

What You Need To Know

  • 138 COVID-positive patients have been admitted to Glens Falls Hospital this month

  • 80% of the hospital’s COVID patients are not vaccinated against the virus

  • Seven of the eight COVID patients in the ICU Wednesday were not vaccinated

“One of the things that we’ve been doing is trying to treat our outpatients with monoclonal antibodies,” Fritz said. “We’re working hard to get the medication out into the community and treat those people less sick, not in the hospital.”

Hospital leaders say most of the infected patients are not vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Upwards of 80 percent of the inpatient population right now is not vaccinated against COVID,” said Hillary Alycon, infection prevention and quality management director at Glens Falls Hospital.

Health leaders say an adult who is not vaccinated is 11 times more likely to die from from virus.

“There are eight patients in our ICU today. Seven are not vaccinated,” Alycon said.

The spike comes as Americans travel and congregate for the holiday season, which is concerning health officials around the state.

“We’re going up this ski slope right now, and it’s not stopping,” Alycon said. “If we continue on, then it’s only going to get worse and the next six weeks are going to be the hardest we’ve seen for the entirety of the pandemic.”

Doctors encourage the public to be smart with traveling, get the vaccine or booster and get tested if not feeling well.

“As tired of COVID as we are, it’s not going away,” Fritz said. “We have to recognize the reality.”