Dr. George Morris

COVID cases are on the rise in the St. Cloud area. St. Cloud Public Services Director Tracy Hodel says they are seeing a spike in cases starting in early July but the uptick in cases have since plateaued.

Late January, early February is the typical peak for respiratory illnesses/viruses in Minnesota. Dr. George Morris from CentraCare joined me on WJON. He explains a couple weeks after the holidays is when these illnesses spike and that leads to more people needing hospitalization.

COVID isn't the same as it was in 2020 but it doesn't mean people still aren't getting sick. The latest version of COVID is making its way through Central Minnesota. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON.

Cooler weather, back to school and fall often means an increase in respiratory viruses. CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris says they are seeing an increase in COVID, flu and RSV cases in the community.

Respiratory illnesses that are making their way through Minnesota late summer and fall include a new COVID-19 sub variant. Dr. George Morris from CentraCare joined me on WJON.

COVID-19 variants continue to mutate but should we be concerned with the latest one? The latest is an omicron variant called XBB .1.116. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON to explain what this new COVID variant is.

St. Cloud Hospital and hospitals throughout the country are experiencing a triple threat of respiratory illnesses which includes, flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Doctor George Morris is the Physician/Vice-President for Performance Excellence at CentraCare. He joined me on WJON.

For the past 2 years St. Cloud Hospital and CentraCare has been busy with COVID-19 patients. This week according to CentraCare spokesman, Dr. George Morris, St. Cloud Hospital has just 10 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and just 1 person in the ICU/Critical Care unit.

CentraCare has 25 COVID-19 positive patients throughout their Central Minnesota facilities this week with just 2 people in the ICU/Critical Care unit at St. Cloud Hospital. CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week. He says these numbers are similar to the COVID numbers they had within CentraCare last August.

Another positive sign this week at St. Cloud Hospital in regards to COVID-19. CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week. He says St. Cloud Hospital has just 7 COVID-19 patients in their ICU/Critical Care unit compared to 22 the week before.

The COVID-19 numbers at St. Cloud Hospital are about the same this week as last week but Dr. George Morris is optimistic our local COVID numbers will decrease dramatically over the next 6 to 8 weeks. Morris says they have 74 people at St. Cloud Hospital with COVID with 22 of those in the ICU/critical care unit.

The COVID-19 Omicron variant is in the St. Cloud community. That according to CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris. Morris joined me on WJON today. He says of the people they have been testing in the past 2 weeks approximately 30% are testing positive for COVID-19.