As SoCal hospitals work around the clock to treat a record-shattering number of COVID-19 patients, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is sending crews to the region to help older hospitals facing oxygen problems.
US surpasses 20 million Covid-19 cases while experts foresee tough times in January
The US surpassed 20 million total recorded Covid-19 cases on Friday, hours after the country ushered in 2021 and left behind its deadliest month of the pandemic.
The nation also has set a Covid-19 hospitalization record for four straight days. The high counts are a grim reminder that even with 2020 behind us, the pandemic continues to ravage parts of the country. And some leaders warn the worst is still ahead.
“We are still going to have our toughest and darkest days,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN on Thursday.
Grim start to 2021 as both S F and California set coronavirus records sfchronicle.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sfchronicle.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
–Enhancing efforts to protect healthcare workers and patients alike, the State of California – through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the Health and Human Services Agency – has deployed 1,280 medical personnel to healthcare facilities across the state.
These deployments are part of an ongoing effort by the state to relieve stress on the medical care system during the current surge in cases and hospitalizations. These personnel are helping to ensure necessary healthcare staffing for hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities because of COVID-19.
“Strengthening the public health workforce is critical to our ability to protect lives during this latest wave of COVID-19 cases,” said Mark Ghilarducci, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. ”These deployments are an important first step in helping health facilities get the staffing resources they need.”