Texas Medical Center: 6,700-per-day testing capacity expected to almost double in coming weeks

Texas Medical Center has a testing capacity of 6,700 tests per day across its member institutions but will reach an expected capacity of 12,800 in the next few weeks, the medical center reported April 30.

TMC is using polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests, one of the most common and accurate ways to test patients for infection by the SARS-CoV-2 viral strain.

In total, since the pandemic came to Houston, 1,920 COVID-19-related patients have been hospitalized through the TMC system of hospitals, a 15% week-over-week increase from April 23.

In addition, there have been 1,354 COVID-19 patients discharged, as of April 30, a 23% week over week increase compared to the just-over-1,000 discharged April 23.

Texas Medical Center has altered the criteria on the data used for the number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds, meanwhile.

As of April 23, the TMC reported having 265 COVID-19 ICU patients. It has 158 as of April 30, though this number does not include people under investigation for COVID-19.

TMC member institutions include St. Luke’s, Harris Health System, Houston Methodist, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Hermann and Texas Children’s Hospital in the following counties, according to the report: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller.