Coronavirus surge leaves only 7% of ICU beds open in this state, hospital official says

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Just days after Alabama surpassed 2,000 coronavirus hospitalizations for the first time since the pandemic began, one hospital official in the state said that fewer than 10% of intensive care unit (ICU) beds remain available to those in need. 

Donald Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, said that only 7% of the state’s ICU beds were available as of Thursday morning, AL.com reported. 

“Everybody is in the position, they are hanging on with their fingertips,” Williamson said. “They can sustain where they are right now, but they can’t sustain it indefinitely.” (iStock)

Overall, only 121 of the estimated 1,635 ICU beds across the state are currently open.

The 7% mark “means the system is extremely stressed,” said Williamson, who noted that many hospitals are also seeing staffing shortages in addition to more patients. 

ALABAMA SURPASSES 2,000 CORONAVIRUS HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME

“Everybody is in the position, they are hanging on with their fingertips,” Williamson said. “They can sustain where they are right now, but they can’t sustain it indefinitely.”

The news comes as the U.S. last week reached a grim milestone when more than 100,000 patients were hospitalized due to the novel coronavirus for the first time since the outbreak began in early 2020. 

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Across the nation, health systems have warned about nearing or reaching full capacity due to the novel coronavirus, with the Mayo Clinic going so far as to set up emergency room beds in the ambulance garage. 

Rhode Island opened a field hospital in Cranston, while New York is looking to expand capacity and North Texas just crossed the governor’s limit. Elsewhere residents brace for another lockdown as testing positivity rates increase.

Fox News’ Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.