COVID-19 Hospitalizations And ICU Patients Rise In Orange County
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — As cases surge throughout the region, nine of the 25 hospitals in Orange County have resurrected surge tents outside their facilities, just as they did during last year's winter surge.
According to the latest state figures, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Orange County have risen from 453 on Friday to 481 Saturday. The number of patients in intensive care has also increased from 82 the previous day to 89 Saturday. A majority, 87%, of those hospitalized are unvaccinated and 88% in the ICU are not vaccinated, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
As of Jan. 1, the county has 21.6% of its ICU beds available and 68% of its ventilators available. New daily case numbers for this weekend will be reported on Monday due to the holiday.
"It's going to be quite busy over the next several days," said the county's deputy health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong during a media call on Thursday. "This is where we encourage people to be patient... as (hospitals) transition to accommodate everyone requiring medical care."
With the flu and the common cold, as well as COVID-19 circulating, Chinsio-Kwong believes that about 10% to 15% of health care workers will be affected by a range of illnesses.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)