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Today @PAHealthDept Sec. Rachel Levine said PA could run out of ICU beds in the coming weeks. State data show that in Allegheny Co.--a health care hub with two MAJOR medical systems--there are 59 available ICU beds in the entire county.
There are currently 318 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 111 of them are in the ICU. Of those 111, 44 are on ventilators.
If anyone is wondering, yes hospitalizations in the county have surpassed what was seen during this summer's peak.
If anyone is wondering, yes hospitalizations in the county have surpassed what was seen during this summer's peak.
I know these are a lot of numbers, but on Wednesday (11/17) I reported that less than 18 % of ICU beds were available. Now it's under 8 %.
Here's the portal to state data that you can scare yourself with/use for a PowerPoint to explain to family why Thanksgiving needs to be postponed. https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/pages/cases.aspx
Another worry: During the summer peak, while Allegheny Co. had A LOT of cases, other parts of PA were doing OK. Now that coronavirus is surging throughout the US, there is less slack in medical systems.
In other words, hospitals everywhere are filling up. Right now facilities that are under stain can transfer patients to other locations. This, VERY SOON, may not be an option.
