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Ochsner CEO: 1,160 surgeries and medical procedures delayed

Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas said hospitals had too few beds and health care staff amid recent record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide.

Credit: AP

A registered nurse, right, closes the door as staff treat patients in the COVID ward at Ochsner Medical Center in Jefferson, La., on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. Louisiana's top health officer says the peak of the state's latest coronavirus surge may be weeks away. Dr. Joseph Kanter said that could be a “catastrophic” scenario for hospitals already overrun with COVID-19 patients. (Chris Granger /The Advocate via AP)

NEW ORLEANS — The leader of Louisiana’s largest hospital system, Ochsner Health, said its facilities have delayed more than 1,160 surgeries and medical procedures across the system over the past week because the hospitals are swamped with COVID-19 patients.

Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas said the hospitals had too few beds and health care staff amid recent record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide.

Louisiana’s daily statewide hospital count was 3,013 in numbers released Thursday.

That was down by nine from the previous day.

That's the first time since Aug. 2 that the hospitalization numbers didn’t set a record. But the number remains far higher than it was during three previous coronavirus surges.

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