Sacramento County health officials pay close attention to ICU bed availability as virus numbers trend upward

Lonnie Wong reports

SURROUNDING ICU CAPACITY ALLACROSS THE COUNTY.

FOX FORTY'SLONNY WONG REPORTS.NO ONE WANTS A REPEAT OFWHAT HAPPENED THAT HOSPITALSIN NATIONAL HOT SPOTS THISSPRING AND THAT SACRAMENTOAREA HOSPITALS DODGE WITHEARLY LOCKDOWN ORDERS BUT INRECENT DAYS, THE NUMBER OFEMERGENCY ROOM VISITS BYPEOPLE WITH COVID SYMPTOMS ISGOING UP SACRAMENTO COUNTYJUST RELEASED COVID-19 NUMBERSSHOWING AN OVERALL RISINGTREND THAT SAW A DROP IN JUSTTHE LAST FEW DAYS IT COULD GOEITHER WAY FROM HERE DROP BACKDOWN OR SPIKE LIKE OTHERCITIES THAT HAVE OPENED BACKUP WE ARE UP TO MISTAKE WEHAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THINGSAROUND BUT IT DEFINITELYCONTINUE.SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPENTO HIM NEXT WEEK OR SO STILLTHE GROWING NUMBER OF COVIDHOSPITALIZATIONS IS NOT GOODNEWS.

NOR IS THE SHRINKINGNUMBER OF ICU BEDS AVAILABLERIGHT NOW 421 OF THE COUNTY'S508 I SEE YOU SIR OCCUPIED.ONLY 17% AWAY FROM FULLCAPACITY.

THE NUMBERS AREDECEIVING WITH REGARD TO THEVIRUS.

THERE ARE JUST 45 COVIDICU PATIENTS, VAST MAJORITY OFBEING USED BY PATIENTS WITHOTHER CRITICAL AILMENTS LIKEHEART ATTACKS AND ACCIDENTS.BUT A SPIKE IN COVID PATIENTSIN THE COUNTY COULD EAT UP THEREMAINING BEDS AND ENDANGERLIVES OF DONE COVID PATIENTSAS WELL BY CONVERTING OTHERHOSPITAL ROOMS THE COUNTY HASA SURGE CAPACITY OF 657ADDITIONAL BEDS WE HAVE BEENIN CONVERSATION WITH THEHOSPITALS THEY DO HAVE A PLANFOR A SURGE.AND THEY WERE UTILIZEDACTION IF NECESSARY AND ONLY23% OF AVAILABLE VENTILATORSARE BEING USED ONLY IN OURTESTS REVEALING THE EFFECTS OFTHE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND.

LARGEGROUP GATHERINGS WERE COMMONHEALTH OFFICIALS ARE HOPEFULTHAT PEOPLE GOT THEIR MESSAGEOF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MAST.SO OUR HOPE IS THAT IT TO THEPOINT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TOSEE AN INCREASE IN CASES AS ARESULT, THE 4TH OF JULY.BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS