Over 70 Percent Of Florida’s Hospital Beds Occupied

As COVID-19 cases increase across the United States, a report from the US Department of Health & Human Services says over 70 percent of in-patient and ICU beds in Florida are occupied. Across the 265 hospitals that report to HHS, there are 57,412 total in-patient beds and 6,360 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in the state. As of Monday (Jan. 3), 43,576—or almost 76 percent—of in-patient beds are occupied, while 4,682—nearly 74 percent—of ICU beds are occupied. Recent analysis by NBC found that Florida is among five states reporting an sharp increase in the number of children hospitalized with COVID-19. The analysis found that within a month, the number of hospitalized children jumped from 1,270 to 1,933. Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio have also contributed to the increase of pediatric hospitalizations. A report released on Tuesday (Jan. 4) by AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division—which encompasses facilities across seven counties—says their hospitals are seeing double the number of COVID-19 patients. Last week, AdventHealth reported that 240 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Central Florida. That number has now gone up to 480. Still, that figure is well below the 1,700 people who were in the hospital back in August during the peak of the Delta variant surge. As of  Monday, Volusia County reported 3,939 new COVID-19 cases for a positivity rate of 22.4 percent, while Flagler reported 562 new cases with a positivity rate of 19 percent. Statewide, 298,455 new cases were reported for a positivity rate of 26.5 percent. Similar to previous messages, medical professionals say vaccinations are the best defense against the Omicron variant. They recommend that those who are yet to be vaccinated receive a vaccine, and those who are eligible should receive a booster shot. They also recommend that masks be worn indoors or when in close contact with others. Helpful Links COVID-19 Testing Locations in Florida Monoclonal Treatment Sites in Florida Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Locator