Hospitals and ICU beds continue to fill in Florida as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations continue to rise in Florida and health care personnel are worn out.

Currently, about 17,000 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide, most in South Florida.

Of these patients, 53 percent are in the ICU.

Many of the patients with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated.

As hospitals struggle to keep up with the increase in patients, antibody treatment sites are opening in the state.

Monoclonal antibody sites were opened last week in South Florida at Tropical Park in Miami and CB Smith Park in Pembroke Pines.

Maggie Hansen, the director of nursing at the Memorial Healthcare System, said during an appearance on This Week in South Florida that medical professionals continue to fight hesitation.

“I think some of the reasons people have been waiting is because they wanted to see what was going on with other people,” Hansen said. “Eight months have passed and we have seen that vaccines are very effective and are the means to end this pandemic.”

Announcements

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expects up to 21 treatment sites in the state to open in the coming days.

Test sites at Tropical Park and CB Smith Park are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on monoclonal antibody testing sites, visit floridahealthcovid19.gov.