COVID-19 hospitalizations have hit a record high: More than 90,000 Americans nationwide are in hospitals infected with the virus — this according to the COVID Tracking Project.
"My concern is that it's going to get worse, it's going to get extremely worse," says Dr. Carl Mitchell, an emergency room physician in Phoenix.
The number of Americans currently in ICUs because of COVID also broke a record at more than 17,800 people. Dr. Mitchell is warning things could get worse.
"To be honest with you I'm a little concerned we're going to hit rates we haven't even seen, we're going to be overwhelmed," he says.
In San Diego, emergency room nurse Rochielle Jocson says her hospital is adequately staffed for now.
"Resources are limited. We don't know when the supplies are going to last," says Jocson.
Around the country — on Thanksgiving Day Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Arkansas saw a record number of new infections. This is also the 23rd day in a row with more than 100,000 new cases. Although there is a slight decrease in numbers this Thanksgiving, experts say the holidays often mean a delay in testing and reporting of cases and deaths. Since March, about 260,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus. And for frontline health care workers who are exhausted, Jockson says, "It's heartbreaking to just see people not follow safety precautions. It's like a punch in the gut."
Additional reporting by our sister stations: KNXV and KGTV.
