CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Advocate Aurora Health, which has hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin, said the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations have quadrupled in the last 60 days.
As of Monday, there were 1,491 inpatients across the health system’s 26 locations.
“These are very concerning numbers, not just numbers, but people who are so ill that they require hospitalization,” said Chief Nursing Officer Mary Beth Kingston. “This points to the critically important need to be vaccinated and to receive a booster if eligible.”
During a media briefing, health officials said 92% of those hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, have only gotten their first dose or are due for a booster. The other 8% who are fully vaccinated have underlying medical conditions.
Hospitals were facing staffing shortages before the pandemic, but it’s become even worse with the burnout from battling COVID-19.
“Beds are very tight and wait times are long and really significantly our team members are under, I think, a lot of stress right now,” Kingston added.
With limited bed capacity, some locations have postponed elective surgeries.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health COVID-19 patients now occupy 25% of all in-use hospital beds in Illinois and account for 41% of patients in intensive care statewide.
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