All tagged covid-19

Here's how the California Hospital Association counts extra beds

Here's how the California Hospital Association counts extra beds

Tatiana Prophet
Public Health

In early December, we stumbled on internal data maintained by the California Hospital Association. It appears our access was granted due to an oversight, because when we requested more information, we were told that the information we accessed was not available to the general public. We have re-entered the data into the chart below.

It’s important to note that many of these beds are licensed, but not staffed. We called some of the more overwhelmed hospitals, namely Keck Hospital at USC. The supervisor on duty was surprised to hear that they had 210 “surge” beds listed. Most likely this is because they are not yet staffed.

See “The L.A. County bed shortage seems more like a budget problem.”

The doctors are right: data shows young people aren't dying of Covid-19

The doctors are right: data shows young people aren't dying of Covid-19

Tatiana Prophet
Covid-19

@back2facts wire

Cases are exploding in the Sunbelt and Midwest, but they’re largely in young people. Look at the latest data on Florida and California.

In Florida, no one has died under the age of 4. In California, no one has died under the age of 17.

And hospitalizations are holding steady in Florida. No huge spikes in number of ICU patients, and while some hospitals have very low vacancy in the ICU, each county has other hospitals that can handle the demand. Miami-Dade, the hardest-hit county, has about 1,000 beds ready to convert to intensive care if needed.

In Florida, 45 percent of all Covid deaths were of patients or health care workers in long-term care facilities. In California, 37 percent of all Covid deaths were from those in long-term care facilities.

California Covid-19 death rate continues to decline

Tatiana Prophet
Covid-19

By STAFF REPORTS

The second half of July began with a Covid-19 positivity rate in California of 7.5 percent, still below the desirable 8 percent the state was aiming for. It remains to be seen whether the positivity rate will stay below 8 percent going forward.

Deaths continued to remain steady, hovering around 100-150 per day, with the death rate (deaths versus positive cases) declining to as little as 0.2 percent on July 18 and then going back up to 0.5 percent the next day.

Following are a few snapshots of the current situation in California and elsewhere.

Are California cases exploding? Look at the data

Are California cases exploding? Look at the data

Tatiana Prophet
Public Health

The county where Covid-19 cases have been consistently highest, Los Angeles, has grown in ICU patients by only 3 percent; but sparsely populated counties have experienced double-digit daily growth in ICU occupied beds. Make sure you know the raw numbers of occupied ICU beds, though. They’re extremely low, since some of these counties have never had an ICU patient. One county, Yolo, has a total of five Covid-19 patients, with the previous day’s admission going from zero to 4 patients between June 23 and June 24. That’s an increase of 400 percent while the raw number of serious cases is extremely low. Still, it’s not nothing, and those four people could have had contact with several other people in these counties.

The raw number of ICU bed use is at an all-time high, at 1,268 in the state. That number has held steady between 1,000 and 1,100 through some of April, plus May and June.

Perspective: The swine flu pandemic of 2009

Perspective: The swine flu pandemic of 2009

Tatiana Prophet
Public Health

NOTICE: We recommend that all U.S. residents (and residents of other countries) follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. Follow the orders of your state and local government, wear protective gear and socially distance from others. Remain calm and continue to monitor this changing situation, taking great caution and care to keep yourself and others safe.