Florida hospitals have the capacity to handle coronavirus uptick, leaders say

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez insists we have the resources and the hospital space as coronavirus case numbers sharply rise. He’s concerned, but not alarmed.

“This is concerning that the positive rate might be going up,” he said Friday, “that’s why we’re going to be cracking down on enforcement [of safety protocols].”

Several major hospitals in South Florida have seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases, particularly among younger people, a trend that Gov. Ron DeSantis also outlined in a visit to South Florida on Friday.

Dr. Stanley Marks, the chief medical officer for Memorial Healthcare System, says those cases don’t normally end up in the intensive care unit, but that hospitals are prepared with backup rooms and beds.

“The hospitals have an ability to both staff up and surge up in terms of creating new ICU beds or new beds in the hospital,” he said.

As of Friday afternoon, Miami-Dade had 25% of its hospital beds and ICU beds available, according to the state.

Broward County had 24% of its hospital beds available and 17% of its ICU beds open.

Monroe has a third of its hospital beds open and eight of its 14 ICU beds available.

To see those frequently updated numbers of hospital bed and ICU availability across the state, click here.