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COVID-19 Hospitalizations Increase with Jump in Cases

Most employees of Genesis Health System have returned to work and continue to take care of patients during the coronavirus pandemic. Michelle O'Neill reports the President and CEO of Genesis wants people in the Quad Cities to know they can help end it.

Credit submitted / Genesis Health System
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Genesis Health System
Doug Cropper, Pres. & CEO Genesis Health System (file)

Doug Cropper says in mid-March, many workers had to stay at home when hospitals and clinics stopped doing elective procedures.

Now, most of his nearly 6,000 employees are back on the job, with only a couple hundred at home.

"Our employees have been doing excellent work. And Genesis has been named one of the top 15 hospital systems [in the US]...and they're happy to receive that recognition."

Cropper is concerned about the recent increase in new COVID-19 cases in the Quad Cities. Four times more people are coming in for cororavirus testing. Just a couple of weeks ago, only one or two people were hospitalized with the infection. This week, there are 13.

"Prevention is not hard. Wear a mask, social distancing. It is a sacrifice, but it's not hard. If we don't, it'll result in more lives lost. I wish I could hypothetically take people who don't wear masks into the ICU with me and show them the very sick people on ventilators and their families who are worried about them living or dying."

Twenty Genesis employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, and all but one caught it outside their workplaces. 

Cropper also reminds people to go to the emergency room right away when they have symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, or another serious condition.

Officially, Michelle's title for 28 years was WVIK News Editor. She did everything there is to do in the newsroom and whatever was needed around the radio station. She also served as Acting News Director from September 2023 - January 2024.
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