Only 2 pediatric ICU beds open in Dallas area

Only two pediatric intensive care unit beds were available in the Dallas area Tuesday as the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, The Dallas Morning News reported. 

Only two beds were available out of 285 total in the north Texas area. Additionally, only about 28 adult ICU beds were available as hospitals reached 90 percent capacity on Tuesday, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said, according to the publication. 

Only 329 staffed intensive care beds — out of 7,451 total in the state — remain available as of Monday.

The shortage of beds has been an ongoing issue for hospitals across the country as the delta variant causes an uptick in cases. Earlier this month, an 11-month-old girl infected with the delta variant had to be transferred about 150 miles away due to a shortage of hospital beds. 

Experts have also revealed that children account for 15 percent of coronavirus cases, causing children’s hospitals to become flooded with infected young people. 

Officials are urging more eligible individuals to get vaccinated — only 44.6 percent of Texas residents are fully vaccinated, according to Our World Data.