As Covid numbers climb, some Pinellas County hospitals report zero ICU beds

At one point Thursday afternoon, St. Petersburg General Hospital had zero adult ICU beds available, according to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The same was true for Largo Medical Center on Friday.

However, that’s not to say that someone showing up at the hospital won’t be able to get that level of care if they need it.

“Each of our hospitals has the ability to expand its capabilities, when needed, through our surge and emergency preparedness plans,” said Debra McKell, marketing director for HCA’s West Florida division, the healthcare system that includes Largo Medical Center, Northside Hospital, Palms of Pasadena and St. Pete General. “We have seen, over the course of the last several weeks, an increase in the number of hospitalized patients but we are not experiencing the level of surge that we did this summer. Our hospitals are operating normally with sufficient resources to care for our patients.”

Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

Like many communities across the country, Pinellas County has watched its Covid numbers climb to levels not seen since the summer. On Thursday alone, The Florida Department of Health reported 24 deaths – the second highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic – and 554 new confirmed infections. An additional 509 cases were recorded Friday and five more deaths. The county now has a cumulative total of 39,846 cases and 995 deaths due to Covid and a  two-week percent positivity rate of 7.25 percent.

During her Covid presentation to city council Dec. 10, city emergency manager Amber Boulding said that there has been a “steady rise” of hospitalizations due to Covid. However, she noted that bed availability, including that of ICU beds, has remained fairly stable and consistent. As of late Thursday afternoon, the county had 85 ICU beds – 22.6 percent – available, with 14.4 percent occupied by Covid patients. Just over 67 percent of the county’s 286 ventilators are also available. 

While the rollout of the new Pfizer vaccine earlier this week, along with the subsequent approval of the Moderna vaccine, has been cause for celebration, health officials warn people to stay vigilant. In an interview with the Catalyst earlier this week, Tom Iovino, public information officer for the Pinellas County Health Department, stressed the importance of hand washing, mask wearing and social distancing, especially as the holiday season ramps up. 

“We’re so close right now and we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “We just need to be patient for a little longer.”