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South Florida Hospitals Prepare For Increased COVID-19 Hospitalizations

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - With COVID-19 hospitalizations increasing at a rapid pace, local hospitals, public and private, are gearing up as they expect even more patients.

Clearing ICU beds, at Miami's Jackson Memorial, where 25 percent of the 323 COVID-19 victims are in the ICU.

At least 56 intensive care units in state hospitals had reached capacity on Tuesday, state officials said.

President and CEO of Jackson Health System, Carlos Migoya said, "We are at a point where we are still balancing things out. We closed down our elective surgery last week."

Medical personnel stretched thin as they have wrestled with the pandemic for months.

Eighteen percent of personnel have tested positive for COVID-19, so more medical personnel are on the way.

SEE ALSO: Jackson Health System President, CEO Carlos Migoya Talks About COVID-19 Challenges, Concerns

Migoya says, "Yesterday, I got a phone call from the governor's office saying the could provide us with up to 100 nurses. We said they should absolutely do so."

"Do we need those extra 100 nurses today? No. Will we need those nurses over the next several weeks when numbers happen. Absolutely."

Broward and Miami-Dade hospitals watching the numbers, making room, making moves.

The current status:

Baptist Hospital says, "We are rescheduling elective surgeries that will require an overnight stay at the hospital."

Broward's Memorial Healthcare System will cease doing all elective, non-urgent, and non-emergency procedures effective Wednesday.

Broward Health Medical Center: "We are not canceling surgeries at this time and will address elective procedures based on need."

And from HCA: "We are conducting a review of each scheduled procedure by considering the urgency. It is up to our physicians, the current circumstances in the facility, and the community."

Hospitals say they will meet the increased hospitalizations by redeploying staff.

Governor Ron DeSantis says at Jackson the added one hundred nurses will be a big help.

"...As they continue to deal not only with COVID patients but non-COVID patients," Said Gov. DeSantis.

HCA, which operates Mercy Hospital, Kendall Regional and Aventura Hospital says they are prepared to deploy staff from hospitals out of state to meet challenges here in South Florida.

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