Hospitals located in the southern states of the country are beginning to run out of space in intensive care units (ICU) to care for patients, due to the spikes caused by the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19.
Because it is important? In previous waves of COVID-19, hospitals have been forced to improvise temporary intensive care beds in other wings of sanatoriums to care for the sick.
The data: One in four hospitals in the country reported that more than 95% of ICU beds are occupied. Experts say it can be difficult to maintain levels of patient care in collapsed facilities.
- The states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi lag the furthest behind in vaccinations against COVID-19, with 35.3% or less of their population vaccinated, according to CDC data.
- Twenty-four Florida dispensaries reported last week that they had more patients than available beds.
- In Alabama, all ICU beds are currently occupied.
- Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana are approaching full occupancy of inpatient spaces for children.
- Among those under 18 years of age, admission rates are higher with the delta variant, driven largely by increases in cases among children in the least vaccinated states.
Main source of information: The New York Times
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