COLUMBUS — Cleveland and Toledo area hospitals both reported an increase in the number of available hospital beds between May 14 and May 21.
Meanwhile, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Akron all reported a decrease in the number of available hospital beds during that time.
Lucia Walinchus, executive director for Eye on Ohio, discussed the latest report with Spectrum News 1.
“So, right now we’re doing a great job just in terms of ICU beds. In terms of Med/Surg beds, we slipped a little this week. I would say that’s a little more of a plateau situation. Keep in mind that any time we talk about an infectious disease, usually it’s an exponential growth curve,” Walinchus said. “Right now the infection rate is less than one. Right now, we have it that it’s dying out as it were.”
Med/Surg beds are used to treat the average patient.
Overall, the latest numbers report that University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center, Richmond Medical Center and Wooster Community Hospital are dealing with an influx of patients.
The state department of health also reported an increase in the number of intensive care unit beds.
On May 21, the state reported 650 ICU beds, an increase of 58 from May 14.
Eye on Ohio fought the state for access to the number of available hospital beds and other equipment related to COVID-19. The organization filed a lawsuit in the Court of Claims of Ohio to obtain the requested information.
In November, Judge Patrick M. McGrath ruled the Ohio Department of Health must provide that data.
Click here to view the latest data from Eye on Ohio.
