US registers record-high 277,000 cases of coronavirus in 24 hours, ICU at 90% capacity

On January 2, the US-registered 277,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, a record-high within the last 24 hours that pushed the hospitals across states to maximum capacity. As the COVID-19 hospitalizations soared, more than 90 percent of ICU beds were occupied, according to the data released by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Many healthcare facilities across the US ran out of medics as the new wave of  COVID-19 surge swept across the US after the holidays. According to the US Covid Tracking Project, at least 125,379 patients were under hospital admission this week, however, the rate of hospitalization reduced to 123,639 as of January 2. 

California emergency officials told CNN that the hospitals were recording an unprecedented surge of the COVID-related admissions, adding that the internal oxygen delivery systems were overtaxed by the large volume of oxygen flow needed by COVID patients reporting hypoxia. And hence, the US Army Corps of Engineers were deployed across LA to upgrade the oxygen delivery systems and design the offices and other facilities into makeshift hospitals. Col. Julie Balten, commander of the Los Angeles District for the Corps of Engineers told CNN that the US army corps were analyzing the overwhelming situation and evaluating responses across half a dozen US hospitals. 

“We need more help,” medical director of emergency services at White Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Stephen Liu explained to CNN’s ground reporters, adding that while a normal patient required two to six liters of oxygen per minute, cover patients needed 40 liters a minute, and the hospital infrastructure was inadequate to meet the surge of inpatients admission.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, the US was now recording 3,633 fatalities per day on average and projections cite  115,000 deaths in the months ahead.

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[Woman writes a tribute to her cousin who died of COVID-19 at a symbolic cemetery created to remember and honour lives lost to COVID-19, in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami. Credit: AP]

Hospitals on high alert

"This is a record in newly reported cases. We are certainly in the surge after Christmas travel and gatherings. As we enter this new year, our first resolution should be to follow guidelines. We all must do our part,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted.

With new UK variant cases fast emerging across Colorado, California, and now Florida, the hospitals across the US were put on high alert. The move came after the first case of the strain was detected in a resident aged 20 in Martin County, Florida, the state's health department informed in a tweet. 

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