Coronavirus Watch: Less than 3% of ICU beds are available in this state
Wisconsin hospitals are facing staffing shortages and a severe lack of beds in intensive care units as COVID-19 infections rise.
Sophie Carson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the Paste BN Network, reports that less than 3% of ICU beds were available in the state as of Thursday. In five of Wisconsin's seven regions, three or fewer ICU beds were available.
Gov. Tony Evers' administration on Wednesday announced it is asking the federal government for five medical reserve teams of 20 workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send into health care facilities, and 60 National Guard nurses are being trained to work in state-run mental health institutions.
It's Friday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know:
- New Yorkers will soon be required to wear masks in all indoor public places that don't have a vaccine requirement for entry, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday.
- New restrictions went into effect in the U.K., including once again requiring face masks indoors.
- Amtrak expects to cut back service in the new year, with roughly 5% of its workforce running out of time to comply with the federal contractor vaccine mandate.
Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 49.7 million COVID-19 cases and 795,200 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 268.9 million cases and more than 5.2 million deaths. About 71% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 60% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Among U.S. adults, 83% have received at least one shot, and about 72% are fully vaccinated.
Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines.
– Grace Hauck, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck