Kentucky hospitals remain overwhelmed by COVID-19 as they face chronic staff shortages and a growing financial drain from the increased costs of caring for so many critically ill patients, a hospital spokeswoman told a legislative committee Wednesday.
"Kentucky's facing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in hospitals due to the delta variant," said Nancy Galvagni, president of the Kentucky Hospital Association. "It's actually well exceeded the worst numbers we've had in the pandemic."
COVID-19 patients tend to be younger, sicker and nearly all unvaccinated, and are taking an increasing amount of intensive care space, according to testimony before the joint House-Senate Health, Welfare and Family Services Committee.
In the last three weeks, Kentucky hospitals have added 200 additional intensive care beds yet still have few to spare, Galvagni said.
