FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Fresno County Board of Supervisors voted to declare a state of local emergency. This comes as hospitals are dealing with the effects of a tridemic; a surge in covid, flu, and RSV patients. The closure of Madera county’s only hospital putting a strain on other hospitals in the region.
Hospital officials say the situation is dire that they’re already tight on resources for patients in Fresno county and aren’t ready for the influx of patients coming from Madera.
“There’s constant shortages and challenges and Madera I feel is going to be the tipping point for us,” said Dr. Danielle Campagne.
Dr. Danielle Campagne, chief of emergency at C.R.M.C. took to the podium this afternoon stressing the situation to Fresno county supervisors.
“If this gets any worse it’s really hard to take care of patients. you want to do the best by each patient but soon physicians will have to do what crisis standards of care. so we are going to have to say who gets the or, who gets the cat scan, who gets the bed and that’s hard for physicians,” said Campagne.
Officials say not only will this influx impact the community but staffing.
Hospitals will need more travel nurses that are extremely expensive already.
“I think it’s an unfortunate incident that we now have to bare the brunt of it was a private sale and until the attorney general stepped in. I believe the state of California needs to step in and not the taxpayers of Fresno County,” said Brian Pacheco, Fresno County Chairman District 1.
Today the Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution that calls for Governor Newsom to declare a state of emergency in the county. The move would clear the way for desperately needed funding to bring the situation under control.
“There aren’t adequate resources and we not making it easier for hospitals to be able to thrive unfortunately we are getting the opposite where hospitals are having to close…. we need more of an abundance, and it is going to take some changes in laws and more resources from the government,” said Nathan Magsig, Fresno County Supervisor.
In Madera county, the board of supervisors approved a resolution extending the declaration of a local emergency. Officials say they will continue to go over options in their next meeting on January 10th.
