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Reports: Los Angeles Hospitals at Capacity, Turning Away Ambulances, Planning for Rationed Care as COVID Death Toll Mounts
29 Dec 2020
Los Angeles area hospitals are at a breaking point due to the coronavirus pandemic in Southern California, where the mounting death toll has overwhelmed intensive care units and led to contingency plans for possibly rationing care.
Though coronavirus hospitalizations are stabilizing in parts of California, patients are still overwhelming hospitals in a large swath of the state, leading California Gov. Gavin Newsom to warn that the state must brace for the effect of a “surge on top of a surge” from recent holiday travel.
Strict limitations on businesses and activities will remain in place throughout Southern California for the foreseeable future as COVID-19 patients continue to flood the region’s healthcare system.
While not unexpected, Tuesday’s extension of the regional stay-at-home order for both Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley underscores the state’s precarious pandemic position.
California on Monday again recorded its highest number of new coronavirus infections in a single day, with 66,811. Though that tally included a backlog from the long Christmas weekend, during which many counties did not issue reports, officials have said they expect in the coming weeks, there will be another surge in new infections stemming from gatherings and travel over the winter holidays.
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County health officials are warning of a possible surge in COVID-19 cases following family gatherings and out-of-town trips during the holidays, despite pandemic guidelines that asked the public to stay home.
Under one scenario, experts predict there could be a boost
The unabated surge in coronavirus cases will likely result in extended stay-at-home orders for Southern California and other areas, as intensive care beds remain in dangerously short supply.
The earliest date that Southern California could have become eligible to exit the existing order was Monday, but state officials said Sunday that the region and several other areas would likely have to continue following the restrictions for several more weeks as the recent surge was pushing hospitals to the breaking point.
An official determination will be announced Tuesday, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, though he acknowledges that “it is clear and understandable that it’s likely those stay-at-home orders will be extended.”