Dallas (WBAP/KLIF) – Data from the state health department on Sunday show that multiple regions across the Texas are now completely out of ICU beds as COVID-19 cases spike.
Texas officials said seven regions that reported zero available ICU beds on Saturday include: Abilene, Lufkin, Waco, Bryan, Beaumont, Laredo and Corpus Christi.
Twelve of 22 hospital regions in Texas had 10 or fewer ICUbeds available as of Sunday
About 322 ICU beds total remain available across all of Texas.
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Meantime, on Friday, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins told CNN that there were “zero pediatric ICU beds in Dallas County, adding that a sick child “would have to wait for another child to die.”
📍“Zero ICU beds left for children” judge @clayjenkins says. "That means if your child's in a car wreck, if your child has something & needs an ICU bed, or more likely if they have COVID and need an ICU bed—we don't have one. ➡️Your child will wait for another child to die” 😢 🧵 pic.twitter.com/agrgGJCpNa
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) August 14, 2021
State health officials told CNN that the shortage is related to a shortage in medical personnel. Many healthcare workers are stressed after 18 months of the pandemic; some have left the profession.
The news comes amid a flurry of COVID-related news over the weekend, including court orders blocking mask mandates at Fort Worth ISD and Dallas County.
Dallas ISD will continue to enforce its mask mandate until a court tells it to stop.
(Copyright 2021 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News. This report contains material from the WFAA-TV and CNN.)
