In just days, LA County is expected to exceed 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. The province has recently taken new measures, requiring all travelers to be quarantined for 10 days. The region reports a 600% increase in COVID-19-related deaths since November.
RELATED: 1 person died in LA County from COVID every 10 to 15 minutes for the past week
“On average, nine to 10 people in LA County test positive for COVID-19 every minute,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county’s director of public health.
On the weekend, 96% of LA County hospitals had no room for emergency patients. Many facilities struggle due to lack of space. Members of the medical community are concerned that not only do they run out of beds to treat COVID patients, but they are also the ones who need other medical attention.
“We’re going into a crisis in Los Angeles County, where the hospitals are full. So one of the most important things to understand is that when you get it, it becomes a challenge. There is actually no room at the inn,” said Dr. Marianne Gausche-Hill of the LA County Emergency Medical Services Agency.
WATCH: LA hospitals have too little room to treat patients with COVID, other illnesses
California Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday that hospitals in Los Angeles County are focusing on “crisis care” and are bracing for another wave as they begin the new year.
“We are sure that Southern California hospitals are in crisis, and some have begun to implement elements of crisis care,” he said.
State officials informed hospitals late on Monday that they should prepare for the possibility of having to resort to the crisis care guidelines outlined earlier in the pandemic that allow for rationing if staff, medicines and supplies are insufficient .
Decisions about medical care cannot be made based on factors such as income, age, or gender, but are primarily based on “the likelihood of short-term survival,” said Kim McCoy Wade, director of the California Department of Aging.
Ghaly warned that a “significant wave” could come to Southern California in January.
MORE: Who Gets the COVID-19 Vaccine Next in California?
As the virus rises across the country, just over 2 million doses of vaccine have been administered. The White House task force is aiming to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of the year through January. Now a fifth vaccine is entering phase 3 trials.
But the introduction of the vaccine has not been without problems. A Milwaukee pharmacy was forced to throw away 50 vials – equating to 500 doses – of the Moderna vaccine after they were accidentally taken from the refrigerator and spoiled.
The facility, Aurora Medical Center, released the following statement:
“Although some of the vaccine was given to team members on December 26 within the approved 12-hour period after refrigeration, unfortunately most of it had to be discarded due to the temperature storage requirements needed to keep it viable.”
A criminal investigation is underway in New York after ParCare Community Health reportedly diverted vaccine doses to more than 850 people who were not on the priority list. The facility said it is actively participating in the investigation.
“We do not tolerate any form of fraud in the vaccination process,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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