The number of COVID-19 patients in North Texas has set another record, and hospitals are working to ensure they will have adequate ICU space. Tuesday, the DFW Hospital Council reported more than 4,000 patients for the first time.
Hospitals in the 19-county region reported 4,026 COVID-19 patients using 26.41% of capacity. They had just 46 ICU beds.
ICU beds available by county:
Dallas 11
Tarrant 14
Collin 5
Denton 8
Kaufman 2
Ellis 2
Wise 3
Other 1
"As you know, our volumes are increasing. As you know, we're seeing more patients. As you know, our emergency rooms are packed with people who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID," says DFW Hospital Council President Stephen Love.
He says hospitals may convert recovery rooms to ICU space, but they also have to keep those beds staffed.
"This is critical," Love says. "What we're very worried about is we haven't even seen the impact on hospitalizations as a result of the religious holidays at the end of December and New Year's."
Hospitalizations increased 22% in Dallas County the last two weeks of December and 29% in Tarrant County, according to a report by UT Southwestern. Love says hospital systems may transfer patients to facilities with more room, but the area has not yet seen the full impact of the holidays while they already have just a third of ICU beds they would normally have available for all injuries and illnesses.
Across Texas, hospitals reported a record 13,308 COVID-19 patients Tuesday, 347 more than Monday.
