TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Florida rose to an all-time high with 12,408 patients, according to data the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released Wednesday.
That total represents 22.56% of total in-patient beds. These numbers are based on 232 hospitals reporting.
The previous record was set on Tuesday when 11,515 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19. The record for most COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida has been broken every day since Sunday.
Last year, Florida hit its previous peak on July 23, with 10,170 hospitalizations.
The COVID surge in Florida continues with 16,935 new cases reported on Wednesday and 140 additional deaths.
Hospitals around the state report having to put emergency room visitors in beds in hallways and others document a noticeable drop in the age of patients.
Florida is not shutting down and COVID-19 "hospital admissions have slowed," Gov. Ron DeSantis emphatically declared on Tuesday, despite yet another day of record coronavirus hospitalizations in the Sunshine State.
DeSantis met with several hospital CEOs Wednesday to discuss COVID-19.