Children's hospitals in Washington state are increasingly keeping children with behavioral or psychological concerns in the emergency department for days to weeks after they're ready to be discharged because they have nowhere else to go, staff members told The Seattle Times.

Several healthcare organizations have closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages. 

Idaho on Feb. 15 deactivated crisis standards of care for hospitals in the southern part of the state.

Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City has taken legal action, increased security and locked down its intensive care unit in response to what it describes as online threats to the hospital, The Oklahoman reported.

In an unanimous decision, the Winnebago County Board passed a resolution Feb. 10 opposing Mercyhealth's plan to end inpatient care at Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton in Rockford, Ill., the Rockford Register Star reported Feb. 11.

Four hospitals recently announced closures of pediatric services, with some citing low demand as the reason, Becker's reported on since Jan. 19. 

Patients age 70 and older account for nearly half (48.5 percent) of all current U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to Feb. 14 data tracked by The New York Times. 

Tulsa, Okla.-based Ascension St. John Medical Center plans to close its pediatric intensive care and general pediatric inpatient care units, a move families are speaking out against, 2 News Oklahoma reported Feb. 10.

Chester, Pa.-based Crozer Health is temporarily ending its inpatient hospice services at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa., Daily Times reported Feb. 10. 

Daily U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped below 100,000 for the first time in more than a month, though three states are still seeing increasing virus admissions. 

New daily COVID-19 hospitalizations amid the omicron surge appear to have peaked Jan. 15, with recent levels declining at a similar rate they were increasing a month prior, according to HHS data cited by The New York Times.

Nationwide, COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased 18 percent over the last two weeks, but at least one state still reported an all-time high pandemic hospitalization record this week.  

Tampa-based Shriners Children's Florida, an outpatient facility, will close and lay off employees, the Tampa Bay Times reported Feb 3.

West Chester, Pa.-based Chester County Hospital was unanimously approved by the West Goshen Township Board of Supervisors for a waiver that would allow the hospital to build a modular emergency room in its parking lot, Fox 29 reported Feb. 2.

West Virginia is seeing a higher average rate of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people than any other state, according to federal data cited by The New York Times.

In the wake of a winter storm that continues to affect states from Texas to New York, hospitals are adjusting services, with some allowing staff to spend the night. 

Carmel, N.Y.-based Putnam Hospital, a Nuvance Health affiliate, will suspend services at its birthing center because its physician provider of labor and delivery services is leaving, the hospital's president, Mark Hirko, MD, confirmed in a statement shared with Becker's. 

Pennsylvania is opening four long-term care regional support sites to help relieve pressure on healthcare workers and hospitals amid an influx of COVID-19 patients, state officials said Jan. 31. 

As COVID-19 hospitalizations begin to level out nationally, at least five states have reported new records this week. 

For more than two weeks, Washington, D.C., has reported the highest average rate in the nation of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to federal data cited by The New York Times.