COVID In Florida: Coronavirus Patient Surge Strains Hospitals
MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) -- Florida accounted for nearly 17 percent of the 101,050 COVID-19 patients hospitalized nationwide Thursday, according to data posted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Florida hospitals reported 16,833 patients with COVID-19, a figure driven by the rapidly spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus and the state's large number of unvaccinated residents. Also, 95 percent of the state's 6,888 intensive-care unit beds were occupied.
The surge in patients has put a strain on the state's health-care system, with 52 hospitals reporting that they had critical staffing shortages on Thursday.
Meanwhile, 56 hospitals reported that they expected critical staffing shortages within a week.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he believes the pressure on hospitals can be eased if people with COVID-19 get monoclonal antibody treatment soon after diagnosis.
There are 21 state-supported monoclonal antibody treatment sites across Florida that, the governor's office said, have assisted 13,000 people.
The state-supported centers provide access to monoclonal antibody treatment produced by the pharmaceutical company Regeneron.
In South Florida, there is one at Tropical Park in Southwest Miami-Dade and another at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines.
Also, the state reported 21,183 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, according to data posted Thursday on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)