Mississippi nearly out of ICU beds, State Health Officer says

- mississippi is out of intensive- care unit beds due to the surge- in- covid cases.- state health officer dr. thomas- dobbs says the- hospitals are full.

- as a result... all elective - procedures are being delayed- until at least december 23rd.

- in the last two weeks... the- state has seen 25-thousand new- coronavirus cases.- - dr. thomas dobbs/state health - officer :18 - "the thing that's additionally- concerning right now is we're - not at our- peak.

We're rapidly ascending t- a peak that no one knows what - - - - it's going to be.

So, we're way- higher in our daily cases now.- and our hospitalizations are- going up at a rate that is- absolutely terrifying."

- dr. louann woodward/university- of mississippi medical center - :21 - "what i fear that people do not- understand however is that the- resources are - - - - finite.

They are finite.

There- gets to a point when we have to- say we don't have another - place to put another patient- safely.

We can't do it."- one health care clinic in - canton, mississippi is bringing- - - - in four mobile isolation units- to help them deal with the surg- in- covid cases.- however, here on the gulf coast- news 25 reached out to- singing river hospital about th- icu bed shortage.

- lee bond, ceo of singing river- health system says the issue is- critical and out of all singing- river facilities on the gulf- coast from gulfport, ocean- springs and pascagoula, only- 6 beds are available.

- - "the way i would characterize i- is, as a- state, as a whole, i don't thin- when he said there's no beds, i- means like 'there's - literally zero.'

For example, - we've got 58 total icu beds and- - - - out of those, we only have- probably about six that are ope- right now.

And so, i wouldn't - say we have about zero- - - - but generally i think state has- no bed availability, real bed - availability, that's- - - material.

I think that's what - he's trying to say and that's - why they implement those- measures.

It's about as close t- zero as you can get."

- bond says if singing river were- - - - to reach a zero bed situation,- partners from mobile and new- orleans would - help