AJC
The number of hospital beds available to treat critically ill patients is dropping across Georgia as COVID-19 hospitalizations soar past previous highs, raising alarms that time is running out to slow the spread of the virus before medical facilities reach crisis levels. Statewide, 2,322 people are currently hospitalized for COVID-19, well past the April 24 peak of 1,906. … The drop in available beds for the critically ill took place quickly. Just before the Fourth of July weekend, none of the regions that make up the state’s hospital emergency response network had critical care bed availability of less than 15%. “We are headed for a crisis as hospitalizations now have passed the prior peak,” said del Rio.