FL Hospitals Fear Running Out Of Beds, DeSantis Not Worried

ACROSS FLORIDA — While fellow governors impose curfews and other restrictions as the daily coronavirus count across the United States rises to its highest level since the spring, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis remains hopeful that Florida can keep the virus in check.

As the California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a curfew starting Saturday and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lambasted county leaders for not enforcing coronavirus restrictions, DeSantis spoke optimistically about a new treatment tested at Tampa General Hospital and a new vaccine coming to Florida in a matter of weeks.

On Thursday, the U.S. recorded its highest number of one-day positive cases (nearly 188,000) as the death toll reached 253,000, the highest in the world.

Despite the bleak statistics, DeSantis sounded upbeat as he talked about medical breakthroughs this week during a news conference Thursday.

He announced that Tampa General Hospital is the first hospital in Florida to use a monoclonal antibody treatment created by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly on a coronavirus-positive patient.

The monoclonal antibody will allow physicians to provide protection to coronavirus-positive patients with mild or moderate symptoms before they deteriorate further or require hospitalization.

The treatment was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week under an Emergency Use Authorization.

DeSantis said the state has received 3,000 doses of the treatment from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. All were sent directly to hospitals. He expects more to come in on a weekly basis.

The treatment will be used to treat high-risk patient — those over 65 years old, with autoimmune deficiencies, kidney disease or diabetes.

Additionally, DeSantis said Florida could soon have a vaccine for coronavirus.

The pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, has turned over its vaccine to the FDA for approval under an Emergency Use Authorization. Pfizer announced it could be approved as soon as Dec. 10.

DeSantis said a total of 40 million doses of vaccine should be available by the end of December.

The first shots would go to front-line workers and those in assisted living facilities. For more information, see the Florida Vaccination Plan.

"This month has brought promising news regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19," said DeSantis. "The state of Florida is prepared to work with the federal government to distribute vaccines to Florida hospitals in the upcoming weeks, as well as new therapeutic treatments for those most vulnerable to the virus. There are rays of hope on the horizon and, pending FDA approval, new vaccines soon bring the prospect of saving thousands of lives."

In the meantime, Florida counties with mask mandates, capacity limitations and social distancing rules are showing no sign of loosening restrictions as the Florida Department of Health reported that positive cases were up for the ninth straight day.

On Friday, the DOH reported 9,085 new cases. That brings the total of positive cases in Florida to 910,065.

Six people died Friday bringing the total number of deaths in Florida to 18,110.

Medical personnel are also concerned about an upward trend in coronavirus hospitalizations. To date, 53,091 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began with 3,118 currently hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of coronavirus, according to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

About 77 percent of Florida's non-acute beds for coronavirus patients are filled and about 80 percent of ICU beds are occupied. Click here to see the total number hospitalized in each county.

Major hospitals, like Tampa General, say they could soon face a bed shortage.

Florida Positivity Rate

Courtesy DOH