COVID-19 patients now occupy 13.66% of hospital capacity in North Texas, with a total of 2,238 patients Tuesday. A month ago, hospitals in the area reported 1,177 COVID-19 patients.
In Tarrant County, the health director says ICU beds are now 92% full. COVID-19 patients are using 37% of ICU space. Vinny Taneja says cases are surging to "dire" levels, with just 36 ICU beds available.
"This is just to get attention of anybody who has not been paying attention or thought COVID was over because there is a lot of rhetoric about that," Taneja says.
Taneja recommends people avoid indoor dining, sporting events and non-essential travel, but he says that is a recommendation, not a mandate.
The ambulance provider, MedStar, says calls for service have increased from an average of 49 per day in September to 76 on Monday.
"Hospital capacity is the highest it's been since the start of the pandemic. We are also going into flu season, which generally brings more people to the hospital as well," says MedStar's Matt Zavadsky.
At JPS Hospital, Chief Executive Robert Earley says 69 patients are being treated for COVID-19; another 15 are under investigation.
"It's like being in the ring with a heavyweight boxer. When you walk into the ring and you get punched in the nose, you're not really excited for round number two," he says.
Dallas County had 49 available ICU beds Tuesday. Across North Texas, hospitals had 126 available ICU beds, down from 227 available beds October 15.
Across Texas, hospitals had 7,841 COVID-19 patients Tuesday, about 400 more than Monday and 2,150 more than the beginning of November.