About 76 percent of the state’s hospital beds and about 79 percent of adult intensive-care unit beds were occupied Friday as Florida faces a continuing surge in COVID-19 cases, according to information posted online by the state Agency for Health Care Administration.
Availability of beds, however, varies at the county level.
In Pasco County, less than 17 percent of the general beds were available, and just about 6 percent of the adult ICU beds were available, with 131 of 140 beds filled.
In Miami Dade County, for example, 24 percent of hospital beds were available countywide, and 26 percent of adult ICU beds were available. In Broward County 23 percent of hospital beds were available, but about 17 percent of adult ICU beds were available. And in Palm Beach County, about 25 percent of general hospital beds were available, while about 24 percent of adult ICU beds were available.
Less than 15 percent of the general beds were available in St. Lucie County. Also, St. Lucie County has 90 adult ICU beds, with only eight remaining unoccupied on Friday.
Hospitals report the numbers of beds into the state’s Emergency Surveillance System, which then can be used by the public to review the availability of health resources. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration came under fire this week about data collection after
The News Service of Florida reported that hospitals were being told to alter how they submit data about ICU beds. Instead of reporting to the state the number of ICU beds occupied, the DeSantis administration asked hospitals to report the beds as being occupied if a patient required ICU-level services.
Meanwhile Saturday, the state Department of Health reported 9,585 new positive COVID-19 cases and that the median age of COVID-19-positive people in Florida is now 41.
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