doctors per patient, and now this. i have this image of this tsunami out in the gulf of mexico that s about to wash over our state. reporter: at the williamsburg regional hospital in south carolina, that tsunami has arrived. they are still recovering from a flood and dr. troy gamble says he only has four ventilators. many of the patients we ve had, we ve had to intubate and send elsewhere. reporter: these are americans who have to drive an hour or more to the closest hospital. 120 rural medical facilities have closed in the past decade. and it s not just the south. in six rural counties in michigan, the number of covid-19 cases has nearly doubled in the last week. this hospital in rural holyoke, colorado, is short on masks. we re not the urban settings. we are often not the first people to get things. reporter: in southeast georgia, shawndel gatling is recovering. we love you! reporter: she s finally leaving her small country hospital, where already 49