Numbers have been going up in recent weeks and the president and CEO of United Regional Health Care System is urging citizens to do their part.

Obviously a model is not a scientific fact, but they're something we should not be taking lightly. Epidemiologists with the University of Texas at Austin are giving Wichita Falls a 73.6 percent chance of exceeding ICU capacity by Nov. 8 due to COVID-19 cases.

Times Record News shared the information today. It says, on Nov. 17, the dashboard predicts, 171 patients would hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Wichita Falls Trauma Service Area. The Wichita Falls TSA, according to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, includes Archer, Baylor, Clay, Foard, Hardeman, Jack, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger and Young counties.

“On behalf of our entire organization, I’m asking for your help. Please comply with masking and social distancing. Please be hypervigilant," Phyllis Cowling, president and CEO of United Regional Health Care System said during a news conference. Lou Kreidler, director of the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District, also spoke at the conference. “Over the last week, we have seen a drastic and concerning increase in COVID-19 cases," Kreidler said. The health district saw 989 cases from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15, she said.

Since Friday's weekly COVID-19 update, three deaths related to the virus have been reported, and hospitalizations had increased to 54 hospitalizations on Tuesday, including 27 listed in critical condition. So everyone please do your part. Social distance, wear a mask, wash those hands. I know some people will be stubborn when I ask you to do those things, but I really don't think they're that hard to do.

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