Oregon hospitals near breaking point as COVID-19 surges

By SARA CLINE
Associated Press/Report for America

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Just 41 intensive care unit beds were available in Oregon as COVID-19 cases continue to climb and hospitals near capacity in a state that was once viewed as a pandemic success story. Oregon earlier had among the lowest cases per capita. Now, it’s shattering its COVID-19 hospitalization records day after day. As of Wednesday, 850 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Oregon — surpassing the state’s record, which was set the previous day. Before this month, the hospitalization record was 622 in November, during a winter surge and when vaccines were not available.