Spike In COVID-19 Cases Lead LA County Hospitals To Declare 'Internal Disaster'

At least five Los Angeles County hospitals had to turn patients away on Sunday, citing an 'internal disaster.'

In the week before Christmas, the state averaged more than 40,000 new coronavirus infections every day.

CNN reports that at some area hospitals, aging infrastructure was unable to keep up with the high number of patients needing oxygen.

The issue was not the lack of oxygen itself--rather, the buildings were unable to maintain the necessary pressure to deliver the oxygen.

Some hospitals are moving COVID-19 patients down to lower floors to make it easier to pump the oxygen through pipes.

There are multiple issues involving oxygen delivery to patients, but generally, the problem is not an absolute shortage of oxygen.

Dr. Christina Ghaly Director, Los Angeles County Health Services