An internal memo obtained from Memorial Healthcare System reported historical highs of coronavirus patients Friday, including ones who are being treated in intensive care. NBC 6’s Kim Wynne reports.
An internal memo obtained from Memorial Healthcare System reported historical highs of coronavirus patients Friday, including ones who are being treated in intensive care.
According to the memo obtained by NBC 6, Memorial reported a high of 476 coronavirus patients, up from 357 a week ago. They also reported 62 COVID-19 patients at ICUs.
Officials with Memorial said they are working around the clock, re-deploying staff to priority areas and repurposing spaces in their facilities to increase capacity to safely meet the demand.
As of Friday evening, the Agency for Health Care Administration shows there are currently zero ICU beds available at North Shore Medical Center, South Miami Hospital and Doctors Hospital in Miami-Dade County, and at Broward Health North, Plantation General Hospital, Memorial Hospital Miramar and University Hospital and Medical Center in Broward County.
In both counties, about 87% of ICU beds are occupied. This report does not specify if the beds are filled by COVID-19 patients.
Remdesivir — a drug used to treat coronavirus patients — was running low, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday in a news conference in Orlando that they expect a shipment to the state on Saturday.
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"That’s 17,080 additional vials of Remdesivir, so that will be something that will hopefully help improve patient outcomes," DeSantis said.
All these hospitals, including say they have plans in place to make sure they can continue safely treating patients at the height of this pandemic. They stress the need for people to keep wearing a mask.
Florida added 11,433 new coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the state's total to 244,151.
Miami-Dade County's case total rose by nearly 2,400, to 58,341, with 1,118 virus-related deaths in the county. Broward County had 26,705 confirmed cases Friday, a one-day increase of more than 1,600. The county also had 438 virus-related deaths.
