Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth's Central Florida division is nearing an all-time high for COVID-19 inpatients and is moving its emergency status to "red," according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Under that status, some elective outpatient surgeries and nonemergent procedures could be rescheduled to increase capacity, Victor Herrera, MD, chief medical officer of AdventHealth Orlando (Fla.), said in a July 26 news briefing. AdventHealth's West Florida division said July 26 that no changes to elective procedures have been made at its locations in Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco and Pinellas counties.
At the news conference, Dr. Herrera said AdventHealth's Central Florida division has about 862 COVID-19 inpatients, which is near its peak of roughly 900 patients in January.
"More than 90 percent of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across our nationwide system are unvaccinated," AdventHealth said July 26. "We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated, which is the most effective way to prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19 as well as prevent new variants of the virus from spreading."