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The data on this whole topic is still so spread between some true and some false that it's almost impossible to accurately decipher.
Example; our facility closed several units in preparation for a surge in COVID cases that never happened. The units remained empty for months. Hospitalizations for our system never broke 100 with ICU cases in the mid 20's. Those closings resulted in the loss of 800 employees.
Detroit; the hospitals in downtown Detroit saw a significant influx of cases. Poorer population and a higher than average co morbidity rate played a role in that. Field hospitals were established at both COBO and Showplace in Novi. Each site was built to house 1000 cases per. At peak there were 2 cases transferred to COBO. Hospitals outside of downtown were virtual ghost towns with decreases in patient volumes.
As it sits now, testing has steadily increased thus resulting in more positive results being returned. "Cast a wider net, catch more fish." The real data that matters is not in the positive tests, it is in the hospitalization rates. For the most part overall hospitalizations are down, however, there are some locations now seeing an increase.
If we were to approach flu testing in the same manner that we are testing for COVID I believe that the positive result numbers would be very similar.
One comment on hospital morgues. It is easy to paint a grim picture using volume overwhelming the hospital morgue. In general these locations are small and not intended for volume. (I think we can hold 8 and we are a larger facility.) If you have any number of ICU cases that are critical related to COVID and then you add in the normal deaths in a hospital or incoming traumas. It's easy to run out of space.
After Katrina the DMORT team set up in Baton Rouge had 30 refrigerated semis on site for the same purpose.
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