San Jose hospital now at full ICU capacity because of coronavirus

SAN JOSE, Calif. - One South Bay hospital says its intensive care unit is now full, and the surge in coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County is to blame. 

At San Jose Regional Medical Center, their ICU is now at capacity. On Wednesday morning, staff was caring for 66 COVID-19 patients. 

A hospital spokesperson says they're now having to use beds outside the ICU for their highest risk patients.

They have canceled all elective surgeries but the emergency department is still open. 

"We are experiencing a very significant surge, impacting every individual in our county," said Dr. Sara Cody, the county's health officer. "It is the most worrisome surge we've had since the beginning of the pandemic."

If San Jose Regional does run out of beds, patients would be sent to Good Samaritan Hospital, 14 miles away. 

According to Santa Clara County's hospital dashboard, countywide, across all of their hospitals, ICUs are at 16 percent capacity.

So there is still space available to move patients from one hospital to another.

But right now, one out of every three ICU beds in Santa Clara County is used by a patient being treated for coronavirus. 

So hospitals in the Bay Area are urging people to wear a mask, avoid gathering with people outside your household and avoid all non-essential trips outside the home so that hospitals do not become overwhelmed.