1. Events
 / Modified feb 17, 2022 11:29 a.m.

Arizona hospitals still crowded despite fewer COVID patients

COVID-19 patients still account for about 70% of emergency room usage.
by Associated Press

360 ER hospital sign A sign outside of a hospital in Douglas in 2011.
AZPM

Arizona hospitals remain crowded even as COVID-19 patient counts are dropping statewide and while fewer additional confirmed infections and virus-related deaths are reported.

COVID-19 patients occupied only 22% of inpatient beds as of Wednesday, down from a six-month high of 41% on Jan. 27.

However, inpatient beds overall remain nearly full because more non-COVID-19 patients are hospitalized, according to the state Department of Health Services.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 patients still account for about 70% of emergency room usage.

Health officials attribute continued hospital crowding to several factors besides the still large numbers of COIVID-19 patients, many of whom require extended hospital stays.


Credit: Nick O'Gara/AZPM. Sources: The New York Times, based on reports from state and local health agencies, Census Bureau. Case reports do not correspond to day of test.

MORE: AP, Coronavirus, Health & Medicine, News
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona