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As COVID-19 cases rise, parts of PA are running low on hospital beds

The state is urging Pennsylvanians to take the virus seriously before hospitals reach a breaking point.

PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Pennsylvania reported its highest single-day increase on Thursday with more than 11,000 new cases of COVID-19. 

State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said the state is running low on hospital beds in the Southwest and Central regions of the state.

"The people who make our health care system work are relying on you to do the right thing," Dr. Levine said.

She issued this warning as just under 5,000 people are being hospitalized with COVID-19. 

"You might not need hospital care right now. You might not have a loved one in the hospital right now, but what is happening in our hospitals has a direct impact on you," Dr. Levine said.

In Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, it is not quite at that stage.

David Hoff, CEO at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, said his facility is in fair shape at the moment.

"Our critical care isolation unit that we use for the COVID patients is currently a capacity of about 21 beds. Currently, I have five to six patients in that unit. So I have about 15 available beds right now," Hoff said.

At Geisinger Medical Center, employees are using what they learned at the start of the pandemic to fight this second wave.

"Our capacity and our challenges are still under such significant constraints that it's difficult to be able to manage the entire population. We are still able to stay safe. Maintain the general population of patients that need general medical care as well," Dr. Ronald Strony, Geisinger Emergency Medicine Co-Chair, said.

"We just need everyone's cooperation. It's really a shame. Health care workers are at risk, and a lot of the people they take care of in the hospital, not just at Wayne, but all over the country, a lot of those patients - admissions are preventable. They don't need to be there if they would just practice good behavior," Hoff added.

The state said if COVID cases continue to rise, hospitals may have to pull back on elective surgeries for the second time this year.

    

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