Hospitalizations in the Springfield area continue to soar because of COVID-19 and the Delta variant.
As of Sunday, both Mercy and CoxHealth reported they’re treating a combined 252 COVID-19 cases.
Mercy confirmed it’s opening a sixth COVID-19 unit, after the hospital used five such units during the height of the pandemic last year.
CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards believes the numbers will get worse before they get better.
The Springfield-Greene County Health Department has reported more than 1,500 new cases of the virus since the start of July, including an average of 191 new cases over over the last week.