California hospital ICUs could be overwhelmed by Christmas Eve, governor says

Kelly Gooch -

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is warning of a potentially overwhelmed healthcare system in the state if COVID-19 trends continue, according to CNN and NPR.

The governor issued the warning during a Nov. 30 virtual news conference.

According to CNN and NPR, Mr. Newsom said California could run out of intensive care unit beds by Christmas Eve due to the COVID-19 surge, and hospitalizations in the state could double or triple within the next month unless changes occur.

"If these trends continue, California will need to take drastic action," Mr. Newsom said, according to CNN. He said that action could include reinstating a stay-at-home order.

The governor's comments come as the state on Nov. 30 reported 14,034 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. Numbers reported Nov. 30 also show 20 additional COVID-related deaths.

As of Nov. 30, the state had 8,578 COVID-19 hospitalized patients, an increase of 380 from the previous day total, according to the latest data. The number of ICU patients due to confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases in the state reached 1,919 as of Nov. 30, an increase of 96 from the previous day total.

NPR reported that COVID-19 data may still be updating since some health offices were closed on Thanksgiving. 

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