STATEWIDE — Numbers from the latest data crunch flashed across Twitter Monday when the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) reported a COVID-19 hospitalization count of 9,579.  

What You Need To Know

  • The FHA says COVID-19 has further "compounded" a staffing crisis at hospitals

  • Recent data from the association shows most beds are full, but only a portion due to COVID-19

  • Monday’s hospital admissions count reflected an increase from the previous day by about 100 patients

In addition to that, the data said most hospital beds are full, but indicated that is due to more than just the coronavirus.

FHA President Mary Mayhew called it “one of the worst staffing shortages hospitals have faced in decades.”

That is the situation inside Florida hospitals — hospital staff, already short, must also deal with existing employees catching COVID.

“We now have so many staff who are out sick because of COVID, just further compounding the situation,” Mahew said.

Hospital beds are running low, too. Monday’s data showed that 18.8% of ICU beds are available, and 19.9% of inpatient beds are available; but of those taken, just 19.5% of ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, and 21.5% of the other.

Data from the FHA showed 9,579 COVID-19 hospitalizations across Florida, as of Monday. That is an increase, as the count appears to be higher from the previous day by about 100 patients.

Mayhew said that beyond the sick calls, the pandemic has caused staff stress and burnout. Hospitals across the state, and nation, face this problem and are taking measures to get more staffing into the critical areas where they are needed.