SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California saw its first daily decrease in intensive care hospitalizations during the coronavirus outbreak, a key indicator of how many health care workers and medical supplies the state needs, Gov.
Gavin Newsom said Thursday. The rate of all virus hospitalizations has slowed this week. Those in the ICU need the highest level of care, and so it was particularly encouraging that the number of patients in those rooms actually dropped 1.9% on Wednesday to 1,132.
The virus can cause severe breathing problems, and ventilators are a key tool in keeping the sickest patients alive. Newsom has been building the state's stockpile and earlier this week was confident enough of the supply to send 500 to other states.