Central Valley COVID strain could push local hospitals beyond breaking point

Preparations are underway to handle a surge in ICU patients. But the problems feared in Santa Clara County already exists in other parts of California.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Preparations are underway in Santa Clara County to handle a surge in intensive care unit patients. But the problems feared for in this county already exists in other parts of California.

Triage tents are being installed outside San Jose’s Good Samaritan Hospital. The coverings will be used as a COVID testing site, to segregate those infected from those who are not. Officials say this hospital has room to handle doronavirus ICU patients from Santa Clara County and beyond.

“Good Samaritan is really in a position to help right now because they have lower volume,” said Sarah Sherwood, a hospital spokeswoman.

The volume level in the Central Valley has reached the breaking point. Thursday night, the Fresno City Council issued an emergency declaration..

“Simply put, we have reached the maximum capacity of our hospitals. And have zero capacity for our ICU units for our county of a million people,” said Miguel Arias, president of the Fresno City Council.

Fresno County officials say patients are being placed in the emergency department temporarily. An alternate site in Tulare County, as well as the Fresno Convention Center, are being readied to house the less severely ill patients.

“We have far more vulnerable people in the state of California. Half of which don’t have access to health care and are essential workers protecting the food chain for the country,” said Arias. Added Dr. Summer McGee, Dean of the Univ. of New Haven School of Health Sciences, “Our health care is really at a point of breaking. And I think that we already had a very fragile healthcare system.”

Santa Clara officials say while their ICU capacity is dwindling, it’s still above 10% for the moment. The county can still accept transfers from other areas.

“We are concerned about our own ability to take care of our own county patients. But being partners with all the regions and all the counties, we’ll definitely evaluate any request that came to us at that time,” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal, Santa Clara County director of healthcare preparedness.

While Santa Clara braces for an influx of patients, Fresno city officials say they’re becoming more aggressive to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus. That county has begun assessing fines for gathering of more than 50 people. The fines range from $1,000 to $10,000.