/ Modified dec 24, 2020 1:28 p.m.

Some Arizona hospitals have exceeded their normal capacity

Hospital beds are in short supply

360 banner covid A handout image from Banner Health shows a health care worker in one of the hospital's COVID-19 units.
Banner Health

The top doctor for Arizona's largest hospital chain says three of its Phoenix-area hospitals are operating above their typical capacity.

Arizona's surging infections filled the beds at Banner Health's Thunderbird, Desert and University hospitals. Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Marjorie Bessel says Banner's intensive care units are at 160% of their typical winter peak.

The state on Wednesday reported more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases in the seventh straight day with a number above 5,000. It's also continued to set records for COVID-19 hospitalizations. Only 8% of all hospital beds and 7% of adult intensive care unit beds are available in Arizona.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona