No more ICU beds in Arkansas for COVID-19 patients, governor says

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Tuesday revealed that his state has run out of intensive care unit (ICU) beds to treat COVID-19 patients amid a surge in new cases.

Hutchinson said during a press conference that the delta variant has contributed to the rise, noting that many of those hospitalized represent younger age groups and reflect the state’s low vaccination rate. More than 92 percent of coronavirus cases and 90 percent of deaths are occurring among the unvaccinated, he added.

“Everyone should know the strain this puts on our hospitals and the need to get our vaccinations and how critical our bed space is,” Hutchinson said.

“That is a cautionary note for everyone and should emphasize the need to get our vaccinations done,” the governor added.

According to The Associated Press, this is the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that ICU beds have reached capacity in the state.

Renee Mallory, chief of staff for the Arkansas Department of Health, said on Tuesday that at least one hospital is aiming to provide more ICU beds, according to Axios.

Arkansas also broke a record for the number of patients infected with coronavirus who have been placed on ventilators, the news outlet reported.

The state has seen nearly 438,465 coronavirus cases and reported about 6,749 coronavirus-related deaths, according to The Arkansas Department of Health.