COVID-19’s recent delta variant has overwhelmed the hospitals and the cases surge across the United States. The most affected people of the current wave are those who were not vaccinated. Hospitals have been pushed to the limits of their capacity treating the influx of COVID-positive cases. Five of the states are nearly out of bed now.
According to the data from US Department of Health and Human Services, the states of Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Arkansas have left with less than 10% ICU beds in their hospitals.
CEO of Northeast Georgia Health Systems reported that the state had 287 Covid patients this Monday morning. This number is more than the cases “hospital has had since January”.
Carol Burrell said that it can be said that our hospitals are packed, and we are looking to utilize the spaces at the hallways, waiting areas and conference rooms to make more room for the patients. The emergency rooms and intense care units of the hospitals have witnessed a high volume of cases that they have witnessed “throughout this pandemic”.
This wave has attached across the country and the cases have been recorded from across the United States, but the South part of the country has been affected the most due to lagging in vaccination there. Many hospitals are reporting oxygen shortage due to cases surge.
US center for diseases control and prevention has shared data on Monday, showing 16% increased hospitalization rate of the unvaccinated population than the vaccinated cases. Dr. Matthew D. Daley from the “CDC Advisory Committee” said that the hospitalization record clearly shows that it reflects “failure to vaccinate” rather than a “vaccine failure”, according to him. He said it at the Immunization Practices Meeting.
Gov. Andy Beshearreported on Monday that hospitals are overcrowded with the record number of COVID-19 positive cases in Kentucky due to low vaccination and 58 out of 96 hospitals have reported a critical shortage of space and staff. He also said that “We’re living in a reality where some Covid patients who are sick are being treated in their cars when there isn’t room for them inside the ER or inside the hospital.”
Mississippi has only left with only nine ICU beds in the state. The state is struggling hard with the coming cases. It has been reported by Senior Deputy and Director Department of Health, Jim Craig, on Monday.
Hospitals have also followed increased deaths after increases hospitalization. The Central Florida Disaster Medical Coalition purchased 14 portable morgues for the higher number of COVID-19 causalities than ever before.
American Academy of Pediatrics told on Tuesday that the cases among children were declined in early summer, but they have increased subsequently now. About 204,000 children were tested COVID-19 positive in the last week. This is the second week that pediatric cases are at a higher level since the surge. This is alarming as students were going to prepare for the new year in school.
