Butler County still is at a high COVID-19 community level, as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a week after receiving the classification.

Butler Health System reported Tuesday that Butler Memorial Hospital had 18 inpatients who tested positive for COVID-19, and three of them were in the intensive care unit.

David Rottinghaus, Butler Health System's chief medical officer and emergency medical physician, said despite the uptick in cases and hospitalizations this past week, patients are generally not experiencing symptoms as extreme as before, thanks to vaccinations and prior infection. Additionally, the infection rate is still lower than it was earlier this year.

“Our experience is about the same, especially regionally, where we are seeing cases rise but we're not seeing that in hospitalizations,” he said. “Generally, with the newer variants, we are seeing generally shorter lengths of stay.”

Rottinghaus also said the testing rate at the system’s clinic has ticked upwards recently, but there are still many positive and negative tests going unaccounted for, as people are using at-home tests, too.

Hospital staff also continues to screen patients for COVID-19 when they enter the building, which Rottinghaus said serves to protect employees and other patients.

On May 24, the Butler VA Health Care System implemented “level high” COVID-19 protocols in its facility, as part of its nationwide approach by the Veterans Health Administration to adjust safety measures as needed in its facilities.

Paula McCarl, public affairs officer for the Butler VA, said the facility is still operating under high level protocols.

“Our nursing home and domiciliary are conducting COVID-19 screenings, limiting visitations and no off-campus activities,” McCarl said. “Masking is required regardless of protection level.”

Testing people at the door has helped hospital staff know where to send a patient, because some who have COVID-like symptoms will end up with a negative test.

“We are getting some folks where their test comes back positive, but they don't have symptoms for a condition related to COVID,” Rottinghaus said. “Some come in with worsening or persistent symptoms, and they already tested positive and are just getting worse. Others haven't tested and are coming in and are concerned about the illness they have.”

Butler Health System’s vaccine clinic, which operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday at the BHS Crossroads Campus at 127 Oneida Valley Road, has been seeing fewer patients lately, Rottinghaus said. He said there is a small uptick in use when a new dose or new demographic is approved for vaccination, however.

Although cases are generally falling across the nation, Rottinghaus said people should still be aware of the community level, because some people are still dying from the effects of COVID-19.

“We're still seeing a lot of what you could label flu-like illness in the community,” Rottinghaus said.