PORTLAND — As Oregon’s health system continues to be clobbered by the state’s worst COVID-19 surge, officials reported on Tuesday that 93 percent of the state’s hospital beds for adults and 90 percent of the intensive care unit beds are full.
There are 838 people people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oregon — surpassing the state’s record, which was set the previous day, by 86 patients. Before this month, the hospitalization record was 622 in November, during a winter surge and when vaccines were not available.
“If you are healthy today, you may not think this impacts you. But when our hospitals are full, all Oregonians are at risk,” Gov. Kate Brown tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. “When our hospitals, emergency departments, and ICUs are full, that means a staffed hospital bed may not be available when you and your family need urgent or intensive care, whether for COVID-19, or a car crash, or a heart attack or stroke.”
As of Tuesday a mere 66 ICU beds and 275 available adult non-ICU beds are available, the Oregon Health Authority reported.