The Department of Health and Human Services reports, according to the New York Times, that 20% of the ICU units in the country are now at 95% capacity or higher, a level that puts extreme stress upon medical personnel. The most stressed areas are the hospitals all along the Gulf Coast, from Florida to Texas, along with central Texas and northern portions of Mississippi and Alabama.
COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 population across the U.S. average about 25. Four states in particular have exceeded all previous levels: Florida (over 70), Louisiana (above 55), Mississippi (close to 55), and Arkansas (above 45). Washington state, though only at around 15, is at a new high for the state — in part pushed by an unusual percentage (45%) of the “Delta plus” variant (AY.3). The only other state with a comparable “Delta plus” level is Missouri. Nationally, there are many more patients under 40, including 1,800 children.
