CLEVELAND — Mercy Medical Center has temporarily stopped all visits due to the rise in coronavirus cases. The hospital says this is an effort to protect patients, caregivers and the community.

What You Need To Know

  • Mercy Medical Center is not currently allowing visitors into the hospital

  • All 88 Ohio counties have a COVID hospitalization

  • Currently, there are over 3,000 patients with COVID in Ohio hospitals

The hospital made the announcement on Thursday as COVID-19 continues to spike throughout the state.

Currently, there are over 3,000 patients with COVID in Ohio hospitals.

Across the state, around 25 percent of hospital inpatient beds are available and only around 23 percent of the total ICU beds are available.

Mercy Medical's restriction came on the same day Michael Harshberger had a family member sent to the hospital.

“It’s a little upsetting because for people like me who don’t have any other options but to just stand outside, it's kind of cold and it is stressful, so we are standing out here in harsh conditions worrying about our loved one we have inside. We can’t tell them how we feel, we can’t talk to them, because they don’t allow anyone in, and the only way we can get in is if they allow visitors, and my cousin is unresponsive and can’t tell us,” explained Harshberger.

We checked with several hospitals around the state and found that Wexner Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic are currently allowing one visitor per day, with restrictions.

Back at Mercy Medical, Harshberger says he understands the need for keeping people safe, but he hopes hospital officials will figure out a way to let family members in to see their loved ones.

“I hope they get enough sense into them to see that this is not helping the situation. Yes, I understand that with the virus stuff going on, it is good to be safe.”

In a press release, Mercy Medical Center said they recognize that interactions with family and friends can be helpful to the healing process and they strongly encourage everyone to utilize other forms of support for their loved one, such as phone and video calls.

The hospital noted that they are still allowing one support person for maternity patients.

They said there will be exceptions made on a case-by-case basis for critical patient situations.

Currently, all 88 counties in Ohio have a COVID hospitalization.