Share of ICU beds occupied in each hospital
The size of the circle is proportional to the capacity of the ICU.
The size of the circle is proportional to the capacity of the ICU.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data.·Notes: Some patient counts are not available because HHS hides weekly totals of less than four. Data are for the week ending September 9th. Hospital locations are adjusted so that all hospitals are displayed without overlapping.
Hospitals in the southern United States are dangerously reducing space in intensive care units, as the Delta variant has caused spikes in coronavirus cases that have not been seen since last year’s deadly winter wave.
One in four hospitals reports that more than 95% of ICU beds are occupied, compared to one in five last month. Experts say it can be difficult to maintain standards of care for the sickest patients in hospitals where all or almost all ICU beds are occupied.
In June, when Covid-19 cases were at their lowest level, less than one in 10 hospitals had dangerously high employment rates.
Percentage of ICU beds occupied in each hospital service area
In Alabama, all the ICU beds are currently occupied. In recent days, dozens of patients in the state needed beds that were not available, according to data released by the Department of Health and Human Services.
“It means they’re in the waiting room, some are in the back of ambulances, things like that,” said Jeannie Gaines, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Hospital Association.
Occupation of the Alabama ICU
50% of the ICU
occupied beds
50% of the ICU
occupied beds
60% of the ICU
occupied beds
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data.·Note: Each circle represents a hospital. The size of the circle is proportional to the capacity of the ICU.
In Texas, 169 hospitals have ICUs with more than 95% full, up from 69 in June. According to recent data, there are only about 700 intensive care beds left across the state.
Houston hospitals built overflow tents last month to cope with the influx of patients and the rate of hospitalizations in the state is now 40% higher than the construction of tents.
Occupation of the Texas ICU
50% of the ICU
occupied beds
50% of the ICU
occupied beds
60% of the ICU
occupied beds
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data.·Note: Each circle represents a hospital. The size of the circle is proportional to the capacity of the ICU.
Twenty-four Florida hospitals reported having more ICU patients last week than available beds.
During previous climbs, hospitals have been forced to improvise by taking care of staff for more patients than usual or establishing temporary intensive care beds in other wings of the hospital.
Patients with critical conditions other than Covid, such as heart attacks or strokes, may also have worse health outcomes when most beds are full.
Florida ICU Occupation
50% of the ICU
occupied beds
50% of the ICU
occupied beds
60% of the ICU
occupied beds
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data.·Note: Each circle represents a hospital. The size of the circle is proportional to the capacity of the ICU.
According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unvaccinated Americans are ten times more likely to be hospitalized with Covid than vaccinated people. Several states with the highest employment rates in the ICU, including Alabama and Mississippi, are also among those with the lowest vaccination rates.
“Our biggest concerns are low vaccination rates,” said Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s state health officer. “That’s why we’re in the situation we’re in. Virtually all of our deaths are people who aren’t vaccinated.”
Hospitalizations among children under the age of 18 are also higher than ever during this wave of the virus, driven in large part by the rise of children from less vaccinated states.