Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

California Is 1st State To Hit 2 Million Cases, And Hospitals Are Out Of ICU Beds

California Is 1st State To Hit 2 Million Cases, And Hospitals Are Out Of ICU Beds

Coronavirus cases in the state have skyrocketed over the last two months, and the ICU capacity is now zero in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley.

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in California has surpassed 2 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, as the virus has spread with startling speed in the state.

It's the first state to pass that number. In the last day, according to Johns Hopkins, California saw 43,986 new cases and 319 deaths.

The state's first million cases happened over the course of nearly 10 months, as the Los Angeles Times noted. The second million took just six weeks.

Cases in the state have skyrocketed over the last two months. The positivity rate has been steadily rising in that period, and is now at 12.4% — 5 points higher than it was three weeks ago.


A California National Guard medic prepares to check the vital signs of an incoming patient in front of triage tents outside St. Mary Medical Center last week in Apple Valley amid a surge in COVID-19 patients in Southern California.


The surge is overwhelming hospitals in many parts of the state. More than 19,700 people are currently hospitalized with the virus, with more than 4,000 people in intensive care.

ICU capacity is under enormous strain. By the state's count, there were 1,302 ICU beds available in a state of nearly 40 million people.

In Los Angeles County, the Times found that as of 9 a.m. Sunday, there were just 30 available ICU beds – a county that's home to 10 million people.

In Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, ICU capacity is zero, according to the state Department of Public Health.

"We don't have space for anybody. We've been holding patients for days because we can't get them transferred, can't get beds for them," Alexis Lenz, an emergency room physician at the medical center in Imperial County, told The Associated Press.

California ranks 36th among the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in cases per 100,000 people since the pandemic began, the Times reported.

"Another spike in cases in the winter holidays will be disastrous for our hospital system and ultimately will mean many more people simply won't be with us in 2021," said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, the AP reported.

California has seen more than 23,600 coronavirus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

A map of California on the state's coronavirus dashboard is a sea of purple, a color that indicates high case numbers – all but three counties are at the "widespread" risk level.

The number of new daily cases has declined somewhat in the past few days.

"We are experiencing a modest decline in the rate of the growth," Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday, according to the AP. A decline over three days "doesn't necessarily make a trend ... but it's a modest indication of a possible sign of some good news."

Health workers and officials urged Californians to stay home and not gather for Christmas and New Year's celebrations.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said public health officials have drawn "a straight line" between the surge happening now and gatherings that happened at Thanksgiving.

"If you gather for the holidays, our hospitals will be overrun," Garcetti said on Monday, local outlets reported.

"If people don't stay home for Christmas this year, we're going to see something that's, it's hard for me to even imagine," Patrick Macmillan, a physician in Fresno County, told the AP. "I think it will break the health care system if people don't stay home."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×