San Diego County’s healthcare system reached a stark milestone over the weekend as dwindling hospital morgue capacity forced the county medical examiner to begin storing the deceased. Dr. Steven Campman, San Diego County’s interim medical examiner, said in an email Monday that four hospitals have notified his office recently that their morgues were near capacity. The situation has unfolded as San Diego County experiences its most significant surge in COVID-19 deaths to date. Monday’s report indicates that hospitals admitted 68 coronavirus patients Sunday, a new admissions record, according to the daily tallies kept by the health department. Over the past two weeks, the remaining number of staffed adult ICU beds has been estimated at fewer than 40.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 29, 2020 05:03 UTC