Critical care availability hits 0% in southern California amid coronavirus outbreak

The availability of intensive care units (ICUs) in Southern California has declined to 0% amid the continued rise in COVID-19 cases.

Medical facilities in Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura all reported capacity levels of 0.5% on Wednesday before dropping at 0% Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times reported.

“There just aren’t enough qualified staff to handle the volume of patients who should come and need care,” Christina Ghaly, Los Angeles County director of health services, said Wednesday.

“Our hospitals are under siege and our model shows no end in sight,” she added.

Health officials said the availability of intensive care fluctuates constantly as new patients are admitted or stabilized.

“You hear we’re at 0 percent,” Gov. Gavin NewsomCalifornia breaks record for single-day coronavirus deaths, as deaths increase 35% in one week Kamala Harris says there will be no ‘punishment’ for not wearing masks under Biden Pressley urges Newsom to appoint black woman to Harris PLUS headquarters (D) said at a press conference Monday. “That doesn’t mean we don’t have any ICU beds or staff available at all. It means we’re in a wave.”

According to data collected by The Times, California has broken the record number of new coronavirus-related hospitalizations for 18 consecutive days.

Some 393 deaths from COVID-19 were reported across the state on Wednesday, breaking the previous record set on Tuesday when 295 deaths were recorded.

California now averages 203 coronavirus deaths per day over a weekly period, with 35,200 new cases per day. The Times added that the two figures had quadrupled since the middle of last month.

Denise Whitfield, an emergency physician and associate medical director of the LA County Emergency Medical Services Agency, said she believed the capacity of some medical facilities could be depleted if admission rates continued to decline. increase.

“And the level of care that every Los Angeles County resident deserves can be threatened just by the fact that we are overwhelmed,” Whitfield said.

The state would open temporary field hospitals to help treat overflow patients.