Projections show MCHS will be able to handle a possible increased need for ICU beds during COVID-19 pandemic

The Minnesota Department of Health has reported that three of Minnesota’s eight regions — southeast, northeast and the metro area — are in the “yellow” range with around 90 percent of their I-C-U beds in use due to COVID-19.  KAUS News spoke with Dr. Deepi Goyal, Mayo Clinic Health System Regional Chairman of Clinical Practice and Emergency Medicine physician for southeast Minnesota who stated that even with the increase in numbers of cases in southeastern Minnesota, projections show Mayo will be able to handle the possible increased need for I-C-U beds…

Dr. Mohammed Yousufuddin, Internal medicine for Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin stated that 12 I-C-U beds are available in Austin, but he added that most of the time, only six to eight of the beds are occupied.  Lowest I-C-U use is in west-central Minnesota at 40 percent.  Southwest, south-central and central Minnesota are all at just under 50 percent I-C-U utilization.  Northwest Minnesota has just under 60 percent of I-C-U beds in use.