Intensive care units in two Southeast Tennessee communities hit capacity in the past week as the number of COVID-19 patients continues to tax hospitals across the region and country, according to an analysis of newly available federal hospital data.
ICU beds in the city of Athens in McMinn County, Tennessee, hit 100% occupancy, and the city of Cleveland in Bradley County reached 99% occupancy, according to data from The New York Times, using reports from hospitals and from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Just last week, both towns were listed along with Scottsboro, Alabama, among the top 10 emerging coronavirus hot spots in the Times’ ongoing tracking of virus data.
Federal officials said the newly released data will provide a more detailed picture of how COVID-19 is impacting local communities, since previously released hospital capacity data was aggregated at the state level, according to a news release from HHS.
“When data are aggregated at county or state level, the average across all facilities can mask what is happening at each local hospital,” the release states. “… Using this new data, the public will have access to hospital-specific COVID-19 numbers to understand hyper-localized community impacts. This new level of transparency and increased access will accelerate COVID-19 insights and understanding.”