Ala. hospitals see highest number of COVID-19 in-house patients

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Alabama hospitals are seeing the highest-ever number of COVID-19 patients.

As of Monday, 715 COVID patients were in hospitals around the state.

UAB also set a new high for COVID-19 inpatients on Monday at 74 patients.

The Alabama Hospital Association said they've seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 hospital patients since Memorial Day.

And with the Fourth of July weekend kicking off in days, it’s how you celebrate that could impact the numbers we see in the next couple weeks.

The AHA encourages you to wear your mask, even if you're outside, and urges you to avoid large gatherings.

“Today, we’re heading to 700. So after the Fourth of July, would it surprise me to be at 850? No. If things go really bad, would it surprise me to be at 1,000? No,” said Dr. Don Williamson, AHA president.

“Those are numbers that then really get to be problematic, because while we can manage the challenges now, that will likely in some communities really put us in a position where finding an ICU bed can be really challenging,” Williamson continued.

Dr. Williamson said before COVID-19, usually there are 450 to 500 available ICU beds.

On Monday, we have close to 345, but we’ve been as low as 265.

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