Weekly check-in Q&A with UMC’s Dr. Jose Burgos on virus pandemic
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- In an effort to deliver the most comprehensive coronavirus coverage, ABC-7 has started a new weekly feature where we ask Dr. Jose Burgos, the director of internal medicine at University Medical Center, the same seven questions each week to track how the pandemic is changing. Here's the Q&A for Thursday, April 16...
Mauricio Casillas (KVIA): How has this past week gone for you?
Dr. Jose Burgos -- UMC Internal Medicine Director: “Last week was very busy for us. We definitely had more cases. The numbers are increasing way more than expected.
Casillas: Can hospitals handle the current number of patients?
Burgos: “Right now, hospitals can definitely handle the number of patients we have and we are ready to get more patients if the need is there.”
Casillas: What should people at home be doing right now?
Burgos: “People at home need to stay hopeful. They need to enjoy their families. they need to stay home.”
Casillas: What is the most eye-opening thing you've seen this week?
Burgos: “The most eye-opening thing I saw this week was the large number of cases. Since we met last week, we had more than 100 new diagnoses of COVID-19 in El Paso. This is a very uneasy sensation for us as physicians. We are afraid that a lot of these positive patients might get sick to a point where they would need to be in the intensive care unit.”
Casillas: What is your prediction for next week?
Burgos: “Just like we saw this trend this past week, we might see a similar trend over the next two weeks. We know the incubation period for this virus can take up to 14 days. If we were exposed or over-exposed last week, we might not see symptoms immediately. We still have two weeks to see symptoms.”
Casillas: What's giving you hope at this time?
Burgos: “What gives me hope is the fact that even though we’re still seeing people outside, the community is showing support with each other. I’m actually following social media very closely. I’m seeing that some influencers in El Paso are using their exposure to blast people who are out there doing what they shouldn’t, which is good. We have to keep people in line.”
Casillas: What's your message to the Borderland?
Burgos: “My message, as last week, I cannot say it louder — but please El Paso — stay home.”
Here's a list of earlier segments:
