(WGHP) — Cone Health could need more staff to deal with a climbing COVID hospitalization rate.

100 people were hospitalized by the end of July, and Cone Health analysts predict the number of hospitalizations could double every 10 to 14 days.

FOX8’s Tess Bargebuhr spoke with a doctor treating some of sickest COVID patients about their plan for an influx of them.

“We’re handling the wave of patients with our staff, with current staff, without travel nurses, but we’re prepared to bring on more should it get to that point,” said Dr.

Brent McQuaid, the lead COVID physician with Cone Health.

Cone Health reports 52 patients hospitalized as of midnight across the system. .

“We now have a very large number of negative pressure rooms throughout our health system that can handle a large number of patients,” he said.

the NC Department of Health and Human Services reported that 381 people were hospitalized statewide on July 2.

According to a release from Baltimore County, on July 28 just after 11 p.m., officers stopped a car in Maryland and found the severely malnourished bodies of the children, identified as 7-year-old Joshlyn Johnson and 5-year-old Larry O’Neil