The rising COVID cases have led to severe worker and ICU bed shortages in Texas hospitals and healthcare units. The limited supply of ICUs jeopardizes the treatment of Omicron and other patients. The ICU beds for adults have witnessed an enormous decrease recently. Texas Tribune reports that merely 259 beds are available in hospitals across the state. A considerable number of unvaccinated residents and the absence of medical staff have aggravated the situation. The Texas Department of State Health reports that hospitals have 11 lesser beds than the previous all-time low in September last year.
ICU Beds And Medical Staff Are Crucial For Treatment
The availability of sufficient ICU beds is critical for patients’ lives in severe health conditions. The rapid increase in patients is the prime factor behind the shortage. Many hospital workers are also suffering from COVID; this has led to a deterioration in patients’ services. Texas Tribune reports that Texas recorded more than 13,300 new cases on Wednesday. The increasing infection cases will haunt the state’s inadequate medical facilities. The majority of the cities were not fully recovered from the Delta during Omicron’s spread.
Conditions Are Getting Worse With Each Day
Texas Tribune quoted Bryan Alsip, chief medical officer for University Health in San Antonio; he said, “Because of the high level of transmission and infectivity of the omicron variant, so many of our staff are getting positive. We’ve been doing this a long time now- close to two years. We’re now experiencing our fourth surge of those patients; it can get tiring. There’s trauma, heart attacks, and strokes- and those are critical illnesses and injuries that need prompt care. When you have lower capacity… it’s harder and harder sometimes for patients to access those services.”
The data shows that Omicron’s treatment requires fewer ICU beds than Delta. However, the severe shortage of beds and workers has resulted in severe problems. Texas Tribune reports that the ratio of COVID patients to ICU beds is similar to that during the pandemic’s peak. The data shows that most adult patients detected with the virus don’t need hospitalization. However, the condition hasn’t improved due to several other factors.
