BUFFALO, N.Y. — As New York battles an increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and patients in the ICU, the state is looking at how many beds are available in hospitals by region.
Western New York's hospital beds are nearly three-quarters full. According to the state, 27 percent of hospital beds in the Western New York region are currently available.
New York is also now looking at the percentage of COVID-19 patients in hospitals relative to a region's population. Western New York's is the second highest in the state with 0.04 percent. This equates to 501 COVID patients in the hospital.
The Western New York region includes Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Allegany counties.
To put this into context, only three other regions, out of ten, have a greater percentage of hospital beds available: North Country, Southern Tier and the Finger Lakes.
The Finger Lakes region includes counties that neighbor Western New York, including Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming, as well as Seneca, Wayne, Yates, Livingston, Monroe, and Ontario.
Steuben County also neighbors Western New York, and is part of the Southern Tier Region. The Southern Tier region also includes Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Tioga, and Tompkins.
The other six regions range between 18 percent of beds open (Long Island) and 26 percent of beds open (Mohawk Valley).
Intensive Care Unit (ICUs) beds in Western New York, percentage wise, are not as full as the regular hospital beds. The region has 49 percent of ICU beds open, which is the third-best number in the state.
North County (54 percent) and the Finger Lakes (60 percent) are the only two regions with slightly better ICU capacities.
The Finger Lakes has the highest percentage of COVID-19 patients in hospitals relative to the region's population at 0.05 percent.
Western New York and its neighbor, the Finger Lakes, had the highest percent positive rates of COVID-19 tests in the state on Monday. Western New York's rate was 6.96 percent, which decreased from 7.34 percent on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Finger Lakes' was 7.02 percent on Monday, up from 7.1 percent on Sunday.
"As we continue to see the number of COVID cases rise in New York and across the nation, it's critical that we not only remain tough and practice safe behaviors to limit viral spread, but that we also do everything in our power to ensure hospitals are prepared to handle a growing number of patients," Governor Cuomo said.
"New York has instituted a number of measures to help prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed including a directive to expand capacity by 25 percent. The good news is New York still maintains one of the nation's lowest infection rates, but everyone must do their part to slow the spread of the virus and stop the uptick in hospitalizations. If we work together and stay New York Tough, we can manage this pandemic until the vaccine is here."