PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Positive COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania have peaked at more than 11,000 Thursday — a record high since the start of the pandemic. And state health officials say they are concerned about shortages of hospital beds and staffing.
Nearly 5,000 people in Pennsylvania are hospitalized with COVID-19, according to health officials. More than 1,000 of them are in the ICU.
State Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said at this rate, a third of the region could experience staffing shortages as early as next week. She’s also concerned about a shortage of hospital beds.
“We have to remember that there are not an unlimited number of hospital beds. There are not an unlimited number of hospital staff,” Levine said.
She said help from the national guard has already been exerted.
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“They’re not really available to go into hospitals because they are fully deployed to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that are challenged. They can’t be in two places at once. Right now, that’s their mission,” she said.
Levine is urging folks to stay home unless it’s absolutely necessary to leave, and to follow safety orders to help prevent the strain on hospitals.