Coronavirus: Texas Governor Updates On Hospital Bed Availability

AUSTIN, TX — Citing orders and regulations waivers he recently has implemented, Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday reported an increase in the number of available hospital beds of nearly 140 percent — with 19,625 of them if needed in addition to 2,107 intensive care units — for use in treating coronavirus patients.

Abbott provided the numbers during an afternoon update on the state's response to coronavirus pandemic. The governor was joined by Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services; Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and former Republican state Rep. John Zerwas, a physician from Richmond, Texas.

Abbott said the increase in bed availability was tracked since March 18. During his press briefing, Abbott also revealed the availability of 8,741 ventilators. He also announced development of a new test for the COVID-19 virus that can display results in 15 minutes created by Abbott Laboratories (presumably not related to the govenor). Some 10,000 such tests already have been shipped to hospitals across Texas with double that amount expected to be distributed by next week, he said.

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Abbott also revealed the latest illnesss count in Texas: 55,000 Texans tested, with roughly 10 percent, 5,478 testing positive for the virus. The death count has risen to 91, Abbott added, and 827 people are hospitalized as a result of being positively diagnosed for the virus. Abbott noted the level of testing has increased by 10 percent daily.

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"The State of Texas is ahead of the curve to meet our hospital capacity needs in the coming weeks and months,"Abbott claimed. "Over the past several weeks we have taken action to expand bed availability to make sure that every Texan who needs a hospital bed will have access to one. The best thing Texans can do to help maintain hospital capacity is to stay at home unless they are engaged in essential services or activities. Staying home saves lives and helps our healthcare workers during these challenging times. I thank all the doctors, nurses, medical workers as they fight on the front lines against COVID-19."

Abbott cited several measures taken that have led to the increased availability of hospital beds:

• March 22: Abbott credited his previous Executive Order to expand hospital bed capacity. Under this order, he directed all licensed health care professionals and facilities to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient. The most controversial aspects of the order is a mandate to halt abortions across the state that many critics see as political exploitation by the conservative governor amid the pandemic crisis. A handful of pro-choice organizations have sued to reverse the order, and the matter is currently mired in the courts. The order also suspends certain regulations to allow for increased occupancy of hospital rooms.
• March 24: The governor also credited an Executive Order requiring Texas hospitals to submit daily reports of hospital bed capacity to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
• March 25: Abbott temporarily waived certain hospital licensing rules, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission adopting an emergency rule to meet Texas’ need for additional hospital capacity.
• March 29: Governor Abbott announced a joint effort between the state, the Texas Military Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to identify and equip additional locations to serve as health care facilities in the event that hospital capacity is exhausted. On that front, he announced the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas as the first of these sites.

Click on the highlighted text to view the governor's presenation on Texas hospital capacity.

From earlier:

AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott is scheduled to provide an update Friday afternoon from the state Capitol as it relates to the availability of hospital bed capacity in Texas in light of coronavirus.

The governor is expected to be joined by Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services; Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and former Republican state Rep. John Zerwas, a physician from Richmond, Texas.

Concern over hospital bed availability has been heightened amid a growing rate of COVID-19 infections across the state. While hospitalization rates resulting from the pandemic have not been substantively provided, Abbott said on Sunday there were some 176 patients being treated at medical facilities across the state.

Referencing a press relesae on Thursday, the Texas Tribune reported that 2,267 of 4,343 total hospital beds in Dallas were occupied — including 315 of 565 ICU beds — and 188 of 622 ventilators were in use. But the numbers don’t give a full picture, the Texas Tribune noted, given that only a dozen of the 27 area hospitals were reporting.

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Abbott is scheduled to provide his latest update at 2:30 p.m. Patch will update as details are shared. Watch the press briefing on livestream here.

According to the latest figures from Texas Department of State Health Services officials, 4,469 confirmed cases of the respiratory illness have been recorded across the state, including 70 deaths.