The state of Arkansas has no intensive care unit beds available for coronavirus patients throughout the entire state as the delta variant sweeps across the region, Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson announced Tuesday.
According to the Associated Press, a record high number of patients are on ventilators, and hospitals are working with state health officials to open additional ICU beds for coronavirus care. As of Monday, the state had a total of 22 ICU beds open, but only a handful were able to handle adult coronavirus patients; they were expected to be filled Tuesday.
“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 told reporters at a news conference. Just 40% of eligible Arkansans are fully vaccinated for the coronavirus, versus a 51% national average.