St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare postponed nonurgent procedures Jan. 6 because of a high increase of COVID-19 cases, reporting more than 500 people hospitalized for the virus as of Jan. 4, KSDK reported.
The system made the decision in an effort to free up beds and staff, according to KSDK.
Clay Dunagan, MD, BJC HealthCare's chief clinical officer, told KSDK that out of 31,000 employees at the system, about 1,000 people are out for COVID-19.
"This is beyond anything we've seen thus far in the pandemic," a health system spokesperson said, according to the report.