The California Public Health Department is ordering hospitals with available ICU bed space to accept transfers.
It's also ordering hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients to cancel elective surgeries. State public health director Doctor Tomas Aragon said in a statement the order is designed to ensure all Californians can receive appropriate care. Hospitals in the Southern California and San Joaquin regions both report 0% staffed intensive care space. The Bay Area region has just under 6%, the Sacramento Valley Region reports just under 12% and the Northern California region has almost 30% of its ICU beds available.