GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Corewell Health says it has filed an emergency request to add more beds at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital as the number of RSV cases soar in West Michigan.
We’re told the request was filed with the state health department toward the end of last week. If approved, the health system would add 48 more beds to the hospital.
Corewell Health released the following statement:
"At Corewell Health™, the new name for Spectrum Health, the health and well-being of our patients is of utmost concern. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, like pediatric hospitals across the country, is surging with children who are sick with RSV, respiratory syncytial virus. Combined with cold and flu season and COVID-19, we expect the current RSV surge could last for many weeks.
"To meet the demands of children who are sick now and could become ill in the coming weeks, we are seeking emergency Certificate of Need approval from the State of Michigan to add 48 beds to the children’s hospital and to designate 117 beds as intensive care beds. While we hope we will not need all these beds, we want to be prepared to care for children who are ill.
"Our community can rest assured that we are ready to care for children and their families. While we are surging and emergency room wait times may be longer than usual, we are open and able to care for children who need us."
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is an infection that causes inflammation in the airways. Infections can be deadly for children aged 6 months or younger.
RSV cases usually begin with mild cold-like symptoms.
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