FRESNO – (INT) – State health officials have not signaled a return to another pandemic lockdown, but trouble is looming the San Joaquin Valley. It has met the threshold to enter surge protocols.

The region has become the first in the state to trigger a Public Health order because it has less than 10% of ICU hospital beds available.

Counties sending the most patients to local hospitals include Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne.

Under the order, all general acute care hospitals in the county who do have ICU bed capacity must accept transfer patients from more impacted hospitals.

Story Date: September 23, 2021