SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — As coronavirus hospitalizations stabilize in parts of California, patients continue to overwhelm hospitals in a large swath of the state.
While some areas might be seeing plateaus in hospital admissions, areas like San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties in the San Joaquin Valley aren't among them.
"Our numbers continue to rise," said Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer. "We have not hit a point in our winter surge yet where we've plateaued, so, unfortunately, our case rates are climbing as well as our hospitalizations. And the number of people in our ICUs is still at an all-time high."
A little further to the south, Stanislaus County is still expecting some issues moving forward.
Bobby Moser, spokesperson for Stanislaus County Health Services, said 72% of all hospitalization in the county, as of Monday, were COVID-19 positive, and only two staffed adult ICU beds were available.
"A spike of COVID-19 cases, followed by a spike in hospitalizations, is still expected following the holidays," Moser said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned residents Monday to brace for the impact of surge upon surge from recent holiday travel. Intensive care units (ICU) for the Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley regions have no capacity remaining, according to state data.
Newsom said it was "self-evident" his stay-at-home order would be extended Tuesday in most of the state.
"Pretty self-evident, 0% capacity in San Joaquin and in Southern California that likely is the case," Newsom said in a Monday press conference.
He added that the state is heading into a new phase it's been preparing for as it sets up hospital beds in arenas, schools, and tents, though it is struggling to staff them.
"What people need to realize is you can have ICU beds, you can have portable cots brought into a hospital and you can have extra ventilators, but you need nurses and doctors to man those beds," Dr. Park said.
Marrisa Matta, with San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency, said there is excess bed capacity in the county, but there just isn't the staff to man those beds.
The Department of Defense is adding around 39 doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel from the US army and air force that will be split between the two San Joaquin County hospitals, Dameron Hospital in Stockton and Adventist Health Lodi Memorial. They start Tuesday and will work until mid-February.
