Local Hospitals At 90% of ICU Capacity Due to Covid-19, Says City of Santa Monica in a Tweet

Four local hospitals experienced over 90 percent Intensive Care Unit capacity in late December, tweeted the City's official account on Tuesday, Jan. 5th 2021.

"Our hospitals continue to be overwhelmed w/few remaining ICU beds. We're saddened by the passing of 12 Santa Monicans last week & extend our thoughts to those families. Please stay home and protect our hospital system," said the tweet.

Providence Saint John's Health Center, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and Santa Monica - UCLA Medical Center surpassed 90 percent ICU occupancy as 2020 ended.

Santa Monica reported 2,948 coronavirus patients and a total death toll of 72 as of Wednesday. In Los Angeles County, 11,071 have died from COVID-19. It is unclear if all 3,000 were Covid patients, or had simply come to town for treatment.

ICU Utilization was at 124 percent at Cedars Sinai Medical Center during the last week of December, Los Angeles officials said. In other words, the hospital had to create additional ICU beds in common spaces that had formerly been meeting rooms or cafeterias.

There were, famously, temporary morgues in tents or shipping containers in the hospital parking lots. Burial facilities have also been experiencing demand beyond capacity, as elderly patients succumb to Covid-19.