The number of people hospitalized as result of COVID-19 has nearly doubled over the last month. According to the state department of health, there are just over 40 ICU beds available at each of these three regions, central Louisiana, the River Parishes and Acadiana.
“The two largest hospitals in Lafayette each have more COVID-19 inpatients then they had at the height of the earlier surge in cases and hospitalizations,” said Governor John Bel Edwards.
As of Thursday, the number of ICU beds available in southwest Louisiana was down to 27. Edwards says some hospitals also report a low supply of Remdesivir, which is an approved therapeutic drug for severely ill COVID patients.
“I don’t think any of them told us they were out, but based on current case load and what they’ve seen coming into the hospital recently, they are concerned about not having adequate supplies of Remdesivir, so we were working on that” said Edwards.
Edwards says hospital leaders have also told him staffing has become a problem.
“The community spread is so pronounce that more of the nurses and other staff members at the hospital are actually out, because they too are positive,” said Edwards.
Edwards says hospital officials also say they are seeing more white males hospitalized as a result of COVID-19.
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